Rob Horgan
SPAIN is gaining a reputation for art fraudsters botching imitations of famous works.
Following in the footsteps of the infamous Ecce Homo fake, an amateur artist from Castilla y León has ‘restored’ a 17th century statue.
To the dismay of historians, an unknown parishioner at the Chapel of Humiladero in Penarda de Bracamonte gave a statue of Saint Michael the Archangel a ‘makeover’ like no other.
Heritage experts have reported the restoration as an abuse of protecting Spain cultural heritage.
However the Association of Conservationists and Restorers in Castilla y Leon has jumped to the defence of the sculptor.
“Our work is very serious, professional and specific and not as easy as you might imagine,” María Luisa López, association secretary said.
Tercermundistas!
Had they thought of employing “proper” restoration artist from Italy.
The last time I saw Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan “many years ago” was during one of the restorations with scaffolding covering most of the painting and was amazed to see the care being taken. During WW2 both sides of the wall was covered with masses of sandbags as protection. Even today, (not then) a limited amount of people are allowed to view the masterpiece at any given time, yet so far we have had two works of art in Spain destroyed. Will they ever learn.
“Ecce Homo” was not a fake. It was an original work given a bizarre make-over by an enthusiastic amateur, Cecilia Giminez now 83. True serendipity has put the village of Borja on the map, brought around 150.000 visitors there and raised (up to now) fifty thousand euros in entry fees alone. Also untold amounts from visitor spend. What’s not to like? Pre-“restoration”, the thing wasn’t worth a bean.
What is the betting that St. Michael The Archangel won’t work a similar “miracle”?
No comparison. As you say, “an enthusiastic amateur”.