This is a photograph of a decaying fresco on the wall of a Roman Catholic church in Spain. Originally it looked more like this: (Which I think is a lovely painting.)
The years had been taking their toll on the fragile painting. One of the elderly parishioners had always considered this painting to be one of her favorite depictions of the Savior, so she took it upon herself to restore it.
When she was finished, it looked like this:
Yeah – not so good. I don’t think it would have scored very high in our recent contest. Authorities were thinking about pressing charges for vandalism, but it turns out the priest had given her permission. (Complete story here.) The botched restoration has spread around the internet in both serious and funny forms. This one is probably my favorite:
The woman who attempted the restoration is named Cecilia. And I feel bad for her, because I think this is something that I might have done. Had I lived in Spain, and been Catholic, and was old, and had no artistic talent whatsoever.
The reason I feel bad is not because of the damage she did to the painting, or the fact that the church is now a tourist spot, or that her family had to donate money to try and fix the mess. I feel bad because I understand how it happened.
Have you ever taken on a task and had it just get away from you? I have. I understand the expression “It just went South on me.” I can imagine Cecilia began her “restoration,” and then realized that it was not going so well. My response would have been the same as hers: Keep going and try to fix it. Rather than stop and get help, I would have just kept trying to fix my mistake, as it got worse, and worse, and worse. Until I had created a monster. In her case, literally.
Sometimes we just don’t have the ability to “fix” things. Sadly, sometimes we won’t acknowledge it until we have made a total disaster. I don’t know if we do that out of embarrassment, or conceit, or desperation, or fear. But I do know that what we should do is put the brush down, back away from the canvas, and search for help from someone equipped and willing to fix the problem. A problem that is obviously too big for me to solve. Ironic that it is a painting of the Savior that exemplifies this so well.
I feel for Cecilia, and I understand her.
lds humor mormon humorist jesus
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I guess better to have tried and failed than to never have tried
I’ve gotten into many jobs where I was forced to rise to the occasion . Some I’ve done well. Other times not so well but I’m glad she tried. I’m sure many lessons were learned. What I always wonder about is where people feel its fair to prosecute or persecute this loving but misguided person.
I guess God can sort out the details but I love the women for trying
I wonder how her eyesight was. Maybe she was far sighted. Because when you blur your eyes they look very similar…
Love your insight on this … great lesson learned!
This was such a sad story, but kind of funny since it didn’t happen to me. I know the feeling of having a project above my pay grade and can relate to her plight. At least this didn’t take place in the Sistine Chapel.
When I saw this on FB I thought it was a joke! I had no idea that it was a true story! That poor lady. I bet she feels terrible.
Call me crazy but I like the old and the restored primitive version. I’m sure Jesus is cool with both too because neither of them probably really look like him and both I’m sure were render with love for him.
Bob Ross and the present depiction of Christ both have the same hair dos…works for me.
Call me crazy but I like the old and the restored primitive version. I’m sure Jesus is cool with both too because neither of them probably really look like him and both I’m sure were render with love for him.
Bob Ross and the present depiction of Christ both have the same hair dos…works for me.
Ahh!! Love her neck.
“There are no mistakes, only happy opportunities…Bob Ross. Um, maybe even he would consider this a mistake, but chances are he would find a place for his cabin to live in this painting to.
I’m quite certain Bob Ross could have done a much better job at restoring that painting than Cecelia did … and he would have added some happy trees too.
and wispy clouds
🙂
Oh, the “new” painting makes me laugh every time I see it! Only because as you said, there are times when my big ideas, though well intentioned, have turned out just like that.
It takes so much bravery and humility to realize the issue is bigger than you. I have been there.
There’s a scene in the Mr. Bean movie where he sneezes on a painting and it gets messed up, so he tries to fix it. I tried to find it on youtube, but this is the best I could get.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxgB-uvW8N0
Oh how I love Bob Ross!!! That one is definitely my favorite!!
I spent 3 summers in Spain, even studying art and architecture, and every time I see this story, a little piece of me dies. I, too, feel bad for her because she was obviously well-intentioned, but good gravy! If only frescos had an undo button. Sigh.
LOL!! I thought I was the inly one who said good gravy!
Lora: Nope! But you are the only one who says “inly.”