Posted on 08/25/2012 8:07:27 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
People around the world were shocked Wednesday when images of a ruined 19th century Spanish painting of Christ were revealed. But now the woman who altered the painting is saying a priest in the church that was home to the artwork knew she was attempting to touch up the faded piece.
Cecilia Gimenez, identified only as being "in her 80s," spoke to Televisión Española after the story spread. A reporter asked Gimenez if she had been instructed to paint on the artwork.
The BBC provides an English translation of her answer as, "Of course! It was the priest! The priest knew it, he did!"
When asked if she did the work secretly, Gimenez's translated response is, "Of course not! Everybody who came into the church could see I was painting."
But the New York Times reports that authorities in the region at first suspected vandalism, and said Gimenez had acted on her own. Authorities are considering legal action against Gimenez, the Times reports.
Television Española also spoke with Teresa Garcia, the granddaughter of Elias Garcia Martinez, the artist who painted "Ecce Homo (Behold the Man)" more than a century ago. Garcia seemed to be OK with part of Gimenez's restoration work.
"Until now, she had just painted the tunic, but the problem started when she painted on the head as well," Garcia told the reporter. "She has destroyed this painting."
Officials in the area, near Zaragoza, Spain, have contacted professional art restorers to examine the painting and suggest how it might be repaired.
Reaction to Gimenez's work has been overwhelming. Many who posted responses on TODAY's Facebook page found the final result humorous, some were outraged that Gimenez attempted to alter the work and others begged for sympathy for the would-be artist.
Wrote Geraldine Hamtil Cassidy, "Look, nobody knows what Jesus really looked like. Maybe her rendition is more accurate..."
The BBC Europe correspondent described the painting's current state as resembling "a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic."
No, on that point you are mistaken. The term also refers to Castillian Cubans who are of nothing but European descent, meaning white. Hispanics are Spanish speaking people and their descendants, nothing more or less.
No, I believe I am correct. Hispanic refers to people of Spanish descent in the New World, not to Spaniards. And by the way, there are very few “Castillian Cubans”. The vast majority of Spanish immigration to Cuba was from Galicia, the Basque region, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and Asturias.
Very few, just the ruling class, yes. Same people that run Mexico and New Mexico.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) asked:Why weren’t we asked for a grant?
What a tragedy. Surely someone knew she was painting on this artwork. I can’t believe why anyone would allow her to have done this. That being said restoration is an art in itself and it never ceases to amaze me how they can pull a piece of work out from another. But it’s going to cost plenty.
Can it be restored?
Actually, there were not Castillians in the ruling class of Cuba.
“Artist” she ain’t! Maybe granny needed new glasses or possibly a cataract operation?
Obamacare would have provided those!
Christopher Columbus was Castilian as were the early settlers of the island who established tobacco and sugarcane plantations. The same crowd maintained control from then onward, arguably through the revolution and to this day. Castro is after all a Castilian surname of medieval origin, whether his parents came from Galicia or not.
“Can it be restored?”
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People are looking into it.
From this article http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/22/good-deed-by-rogue-restoration-pensioner-ruins-19th-century-spanish-fresco/ :
Ojeda says that art historians are now discussing if the painting can be saved.
“I think she had good intentions. Next week she will meet with a repairer and explain what kind of materials she used,” Mr Ojeda said. ”If we can’t fix it, we will probably cover the wall with a photo of the painting.”
Unfortunately, there is some reason to think the woman scraped the painting away from the wall. At that point the best best that could be done is a replica by a competent artist. As it stands the intent is to replace it with a photo of the original if the fresco has been destroyed.
The moderator must be on vacation today.
I see this as a “making it personal” post and making it “about a particular poster”.
Could be. Could be she has always been stupid. And we all know there's no cure for that.
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