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Church masterpiece 'restored' as Mr. Bean would do it
The efforts of an elderly parishioner to restore a 120-year-old fresco on a column inside a Spanish church have some wondering if a Mr. Bean movie was the inspiration for the effort.
The fresco, titled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man), is a depiction of Jesus Christ with a crown of thorns. It was painted on a wall of the Sanctuary of Mercy at Borja, near Zaragoza, Spain, by artist Elias Garcia Martinez more than a century ago.
Its troubling "restoration" occurred after the local Center for Borja Studies received the donation of a canvas done by Garcia from one his granddaughters who lives nearby, according to the center's blog.
Center staff noted that the only other known work by Garcia in the area was Ecce Homo, went to the church to photograph the fresco, and realized it was in bad shape.
Parishioner Cecilia Giménez said she was asked by the church to fix things up.
“The priest was aware … he knew,” she is quoted as saying in a report on Euronews.com. “Of course I did it because I was told to do it."
In its blog, the center expresses "astonishment" that "an intervention was done" on the painting.
"As unbelievable as it sounds, this is what remains of the work of an artist whose relatives still live in our city," the blog reads.
Giménez said her work was done in the open and nobody tried to stop her, according to Euronews.
"Everybody that came into the church saw me. I never tried to hide,” she is quoted as saying.
"Clearly, she has destroyed the painting," Garcia's granddaughter, Teresa Garcia, is quoted as saying.
The center says it doesn't know if the "restoration" can be fixed.
"We don’t know if this indescribable act has a solution, but there is no doubt that someone should adopt strict measures so that there is not a repetition of acts like this, which despite its intentions, should be strongly condemned," its blog says.
But in reader comments on the blog, some wonder whether the "restoration" is a repetition of a previous act, one from the 1997 Rowan Atkinson film "Bean."
“Something similar happened in the movie Mr. Bean. … It probably inspired whoever did this,” one commenter writes.
In the movie, Mr. Bean accidentally sneezes on the masterpiece "Whistler's Mother" and attempts a crude repair.
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The Ecce Homo "restoration" is arguably better than Bean's line drawing, and that might be just as well, because there's doubt that Ecce Homo can be returned to its original splendor. And at least one commenter on the blog sees a silver lining.
"I think that the city of Borja should conserve the painting in its current state," the person writes. "It could become a tourist attraction for the town.”
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what was once a crown of thorns has been tastefully updated into a furry hat. Kind of puts a whole new spin on the story.
Did Obama paint this with his Government Thugs – Vote Romney 2012....!
Romney Forever!
Obozo is so stupid and godless
@Vote Romney
If Obama is godless, that makes him a more attractive candidate.
Wow, you are really that stupid, huh?
Yeah, because the POTUS has everything to do with what an 80-year-old granny in SPAIN did to botch a restoration...troll.
this comment is the only funny thing about this horrible story. thanks for the chuckle.
@snowball:
Did you not see the picture?!
Seriously, I wish religion would stay the hell out of politics. I'm tired of men who try to pass laws based on fairytales.
well done Granny. only you know that jesus is a Black man..
Read the article on the BBC website. Hilarious description of what it now resembles.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19349921
"The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic"
nailed it.
Totally nailed it.
She gave him the hipster-dbag makeover.
Nailed it...
Behold, the Owl!
Vote for MITT ROMNEY!
Because barak hussian allah muhammad obama will turn our nation into Mexico North with a little splash of Saudi arabia
you just wrote 5 minutes ago that he was godless...which is it?
Wow. Your attempt at insulting our Prez - your Prez - is so original. He's never been called a godless Muslim before. I'm sure Romney is proud to have your support...
Say hello to Rhesus Jesus.
Thanks for my laugh for the day:)
Best comment yet haha
I think it looks better now. Picasso always tried to capture the inner person. This must be her interpretation of the real Jesus, the inner being...an ALIEN! Proves it!
This is your savior....
This is your savior on drugs...
Any questions?
comment.of.the month!
If only she had signed it "Van Gogh", it would be worth millions....
Don't look, but I think Todd Akin is trolling here.
Jesus Christ! Or, I should say Jesus Cry!
It's adorable.
This is why you should keep an eye on old people.
Actually, it gives cause the need for legalized euthanasia!
'Although slow, and dangerous behind the wheel, they still can serve a purpose!' – Lloyd Christmas
Depends on the wheel Dash. A hamster wheel maybe.