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Cecilia Giménez, Amateur Painter Behind ‘Monkey Christ,’ Dies at 94

Her 2012 Ecce Homo retouch turned Borja into a lasting tourist draw funding local elder care.

Overview

  • Borja mayor Eduardo Arilla confirmed her death, stating she died in a nursing home.
  • The altered fresco at the Sanctuary of Mercy remains on view behind protective glass and continues to draw thousands of visitors each year.
  • Visitor numbers surged to roughly 40,000–57,000 in 2013 from about 5,000 annually before the viral moment.
  • Income from admissions, merchandise, and her own art sales supported the town’s care home and other local charities.
  • Local officials and the church issued tributes, and the mayor proposed naming the Ecce Homo center after her.