'Ecce Homo': The Miraculous Disaster That Put Borja on the World Map

The case of the restoration of the 'Ecce Homo' fresco in Borja, Spain, became a global pop culture phenomenon following the intervention of Cecilia Giménez. This event, which took place in 2012, catapulted a small town in Zaragoza to international fame, not only in the field of art conservation but also in tourism and digital media. Originally, the fresco painted by Elías García Martínez in the late 19th century, depicted a representation of Jesus Christ, which had deteriorated over time. Giménez, a local resident with no professional training in art restoration, decided, with good intentions, to restore the image. The result was a drastic and unconventional change to the original painting, generating...