Buzz
Recently, the world watched in disbelief as a fire ravaged the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, causing immense damage to the centuries-old monument. The cathedral, home to countless priceless artworks and artifacts, saw some of them harmed by the flames. Restoration efforts were already underway when the fire broke out, and investigations are now underway to determine if this ongoing work may have played a role in the blaze, which is believed to have been triggered by an electrical short-circuit.
Many of the world’s treasures are preserved in specially controlled environments in museums and galleries. Restoration work is frequently carried out by dedicated experts who carefully restore and protect these masterpieces for future generations. Despite this, several restoration projects in recent years have sparked confusion among art and architecture experts, leading some to ask, 'What were they thinking?'
In the past, such restoration errors might have remained unnoticed. Today, however, art and history enthusiasts are quick to share these mishaps on social media. Some were the result of well-intentioned amateurs, while others were botched by professionals. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
10. The Infamous Monkey Christ
The “Monkey Christ” restoration is perhaps the most infamous art mishap, gaining global notoriety thanks to social media.
In 2012, Spanish artist Elias Maritinez’s renowned fresco Ecce Homo in the Borja Church started to show signs of aging. A well-meaning parishioner from the small village decided to restore it, but both the local community and the entire world were stunned when Cecelia Gimenez's efforts were unveiled.
The result was an almost unrecognizable image. Referred to as the “Monkey Christ,” the failed restoration quickly spread online. The crown of thorns resembled a fuzzy hat, and the facial features bore little resemblance to Martinez’s original creation. The original details were almost entirely erased.
In an unexpected twist, Gimenez unknowingly did her town a huge favor, albeit not in the way she had intended. The octogenarian’s botched restoration of the fresco became so widely recognized that it turned into a major tourist attraction, drawing far more visitors to the small Spanish town than it ever had before. A comic opera was even performed in Borja to celebrate Gimenez’s infamous attempt at artistic restoration.
9. Madonna and Child
In another Spanish town, 15th- and 16th-century wooden carvings in a church in Ranadoiro underwent a restoration that experts quickly labeled as a ‘disaster.’
Though the statues had been professionally restored 15 years earlier, a well-meaning local woman decided the dull wooden carvings needed a vibrant makeover. After persuading the priest to let her take them home for a while, she spent over a year painstakingly painting two depictions of the Virgin and Child and another of St. Peter to give them a more modern appearance.
The final result, unveiled in 2018, was compared to 'children’s toys,' with one of the Mary figures resembling a Barbie doll. In the other, Christ’s mother wore garish pink robes, while the infant Christ was dressed in shocking green garments.
Although the artist insisted she 'painted them as well as she could,' art historians were outraged. Authorities questioned why an untrained restorer was allowed to remove these valuable artifacts from the church for such a transformation. Several layers of regular household paint were used to decorate the statues, leaving experts uncertain whether the carvings, with their immense historical and artistic significance, could ever be restored.
8. Statue of St. George
A 500-year-old wooden statue of St. George on horseback had stood for many years in a recess at the back of the church in Estella, Northern Spain. Though in relatively good condition, the statue had accumulated some dirt, leading the priest of San Miguel de Estella to recruit a local art teacher to restore it in 2018.
A workshop was hired to clean the statue. During this process, the historic artifact was also repainted. However, it appears that more research should have been done before starting the project.
The fresh coat of paint gave the 16th-century carving the appearance of a Disney character, raising concerns over the amateur restoration of such a valuable piece. Authorities launched an investigation to determine whether the statue could be 'un-restored.' There were fears that the original detailed paintwork had been buried beneath modern layers of plaster and paint.
7. Buddha Sculpture
Restoration efforts on ancient Buddha statues in China’s Sichuan province became the subject of ridicule when images surfaced on social media, over 20 years after the work had been completed.
The Buddhist shrine, which dates back to the Song dynasty (960–1279), is carved into the mountainside in Anyue township. It is not only a sacred place for the local villagers but also holds great historical and cultural significance. In 1995, the villagers, pooling their limited resources, decided to 'restore' the ancient artifacts. It seems that well-meaning locals often believe they are preserving and caring for the relics by 'restoring' them.
It wasn't until a cultural relics enthusiast visiting the region's sacred grottoes arrived at the site that the disastrous restoration came to light. In 2018, pictures shared on his social media account sparked intense criticism. The ancient artifacts had been transformed into cartoonish statues, with garish paint, and some commentators even compared Buddha’s halo to a 'giant lollipop.'
Government officials have now implemented stricter guidelines to prevent further amateur 'restorations.'
6. Roman Mosaics In Turkey
It seems that even archaeological experts are not safe from questions over their restoration of valuable world treasures. A Turkish museum was criticized in 2015 for their restoration work on a series of Roman mosaics.
Misplaced tiles and inaccurate colors were said to have changed the appearance of the famous second-century panels. Photos show significant differences in some of the mosaics following the restoration work.
Art experts claimed the mosaics were “caricatures of their former selves” and that valuable artworks were ruined. Restorers argued that the Turkish press had manipulated the images to distort the differences in the “before and after” photos. Turkey’s culture minister suspended restoration work at the museum pending an investigation into the mosaics.
5. Tutankhamun’s Beard
The burial mask of Tutankhamun stands as one of Cairo’s top attractions. However, in 2016, a poorly executed repair on the 3,000-year-old artifact led to criminal charges for several museum staff members.
The previous year, the blue beard of the mask became detached under unknown circumstances, prompting several attempts at repair, which ultimately caused more harm to the artifact. Excess glue was used inappropriately, and sharp tools were employed to scrape off the surplus glue, leaving noticeable scratches. The result was an obvious joint where the beard had been reattached, surrounded by a residue of glue.
A team of German conservation specialists was called in to fix the damage, successfully restoring Tutankhamun’s beard before it was returned to public display.
4. Chinese Frescoes In Chaoyang
The deteriorating Chinese frescoes were left looking like a cartoon strip after a restoration in 2013. These paintings, located in the Yunjie Temple in Chaoyang, are believed to date back 300 years to the Qing dynasty.
The cost of restoring the delicate murals exceeded the budget of the small temple, so a local company was hired to carry out the repairs at a lower cost. The 300-year-old frescoes were simply painted over with new, vibrant depictions of figures from Taoist mythology, completely unlike the original artwork.
The cartoonish outcome sparked outrage online, as images of the ruined ancient treasures were shared on social media.
3. Statue Of St. Anthony Of Padua
In 2018, the congregation of a Colombian church was outraged when a low-budget restoration of the statue of their patron saint made it appear as if he were wearing makeup.
The 17th-century wooden statue of St. Antonio de Padua in Soledad was in desperate need of repair. The paint had faded significantly, and termites had begun to damage parts of the wood. An artist was hired to repaint the statue for a modest fee of $328.
After the restoration, upset churchgoers took to social media, sharing before and after photos of their patron saint. The outcome left both St. Antonio and the child he held wearing bright makeup, which didn’t align with traditional depictions of religious figures. Locals were outraged, stating that St. Antonio now appeared 'quite effeminate.'
Restoration experts believed that the necessary techniques for painting the wooden statue had not been properly followed.
2. Ocakli Ada Castle
An ancient Turkish castle was compared to a popular cartoon character when its restoration work was revealed.
Ocakli Ada Castle in Sile is believed to have watched over the Black Sea since Byzantine times. After centuries of neglect, local authorities decided it was time to preserve the castle's remains. The restoration took several years to finish, with the stonework, windows, and battlements being rebuilt, and the structure being stabilized.
However, the newly restored castle became the subject of mockery on social media in 2015. Many commenters pointed out that the placement of the windows made the castle resemble the character SpongeBob SquarePants.
1. Castillo De Matrera
Castillo de Matrera in Southern Spain was slowly deteriorating due to the forces of nature, with sections of the heritage-listed castle beginning to collapse. The castle, dating back to the ninth century, was recognized as a site of cultural importance by the Spanish government in 1985.
In 2016, locals in Cadiz were shocked by the outcome after the castle’s owners hired architects and builders to restore the site. The restoration work stabilized the remaining structure, offering a glimpse of how the original castle might have appeared. However, the mix of ancient brickwork with modern materials did not sit well with the community, who felt the restoration ruined the castle.
Despite the controversy, the project to preserve the ancient ruin went on to win the Preservation category at the New York A + Architizer awards.
