Spanish artist Cecilia Jimenez, 91, rose to international fame after the restoration of the Es Homo mural by Elias García Martinez, originally painted in 1930. However, the work did not go as planned, making the painting one of the first popular memes. on the Internet.
The restoration of the fresco – a work done on walls or ceilings – on the image of Jesus, which was released in 2012, has been honored by the Borja City Council, City of Spain Where the work remains on display. Ten years later, Ecce Homo becomes a big-headed doll with an image similar to Giménez’s “re-read”.
Although it was seen at the time as a mistake on the part of a restaurateur, the meme’s success caused hundreds of thousands of tourists to visit the small town of Borja to view the mural.
“This show is also a simple tribute to Cecilia Jimenez, a Borja lover from her city who, inadvertently, took Borja around the world,” the Ecce Homo de Borja Foundation highlighted in a social media post.
Martinez’s work became more famous after the restoration of Giménez than before. At that time, the local police came on suspicion of vandalism, but after investigation, it was discovered that the changes had been made by an elderly woman in the city.
The Spaniard defended herself by noting that she had obtained permission for such work and that she was merely trying to salvage the work, which was partially damaged by moisture and other wear and tear from time.
The truth is that Ecce Homo has become a contemporary icon, with copies in different products and spaces around the world thanks to the work of Martínez.
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