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The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age 94.

Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to restore a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo located in her parish church.

Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.

Official Announcement and Homage

The 94-year-old's passing was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate enthusiast of painting from a young age".

"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.

Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original".

The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Act

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) by nineteenth-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.

At the time, Giménez, then 81, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed.

She also noted that anyone who came into the Church would have seen she was applying paint to the existing artwork.

A Surprising Economic Lifeline

The aftermath of the restoration spawned the "Monkey Christ" meme and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant visitor attraction.

The town, which had previously seen only 5,000 tourists per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.

Today, local authorities estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja each year to view the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.

Legacy and Local Admiration

After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and others around the world, Giménez later stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 28 of her own works.

She was commended by Borja's mayor for her generosity and years of dedication to the parish.

Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed act of restoration forged an unlikely cultural icon and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.