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Art restoration is a field that demands extensive knowledge and expertise to execute properly. The process of reviving a painting, sculpture, or architectural work often necessitates an understanding of various artistic techniques, as well as chemistry, architecture, and a host of other disciplines.
When executed flawlessly, the public remains unaware of the intervention, but when handled poorly by unqualified individuals, it becomes a cautionary example, often turning into a viral sensation. These ten instances of botched restorations are some of the most infamous blunders in the history of art.
10. 'Ecce Homo' – Zaragoza, Spain
This one is widely recognized, and it’s notorious for how catastrophically the final result turned out. The painting has since been dubbed the 'Monkey' image, though that wasn't its original intent.
Before the amateur art restorer Cecilia Giménez took over, the fresco by Elías García Martínez was titled 'Ecce Homo' (Behold The Man), depicting a beautiful image of Jesus Christ. Sadly, time and the elements had caused significant damage, necessitating restoration.
Giménez encountered the fresco and, with the intention of preserving the beloved church where she had been married, decided to restore it. However, lacking any formal training in restoration, she applied thick layers of color, resulting in the now infamous, globby appearance.
Sadly, or perhaps ironically, depending on one’s perspective, Giménez was unable to complete the work. She left town, and during her absence, the local historical association discovered what she had done. As a result, Mrs. Giménez gained both notoriety and viral fame.
On the bright side, her actions led to a surge in tourism, as people traveled from far and wide to witness the infamous restoration.
9. 'The Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus' – Sudbury, Canada
A sculpture of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus fell victim to vandalism, with the head of the infant being broken off. This left the decapitated child resting in His mother’s lap. While the original head was missing, numerous photographs were available, allowing for an attempt at restoration.
An artist named Heather Wise volunteered to create a new head. Despite having plenty of reference photos to work from, the head she crafted bore little resemblance to the original sculpture.
Furthermore, the new head didn’t appear human at all. What was once a beautiful statue became an unsettling example of how not to approach the restoration of damaged statues.
The new head looked cartoonish and was made of terracotta, which didn’t match the material of the statue in any way. Wise had originally planned to sculpt the new head from stone but spent just one afternoon creating the temporary, monstrous head.
Thankfully, the story went viral, and the thief returned the original head. Wise’s 'restoration' was swiftly removed, allowing for a proper restoration to take place.
8. The Great Wall of China
Many sections of the Great Wall have fallen victim to the effects of time... and the Mongols. Nonetheless, China has dedicated considerable resources to preserving various parts of the Wall for future generations and tourism. Some restorations have successfully recreated the original appearance, while others, not so much.
One of the most remarkable sections of the Wall suffered a significant failure in restoration efforts in 2016. The aim was to preserve the Wall’s original beauty while preventing further deterioration. Unfortunately, the result was disastrous.
The 780-meter stretch of the Wall wasn’t reconstructed using any of the original stones. Instead, it was covered with concrete. The smoothed, leveled surface now resembles more of a modern sidewalk than a historical monument, representing an utter destruction rather than a restoration.
The section now bears little resemblance to its former glory. Instead, it resembles a slightly elevated sidewalk devoid of any historical significance. Thankfully, this restoration mishap triggered an investigation, ensuring that future projects concerning the Great Wall will undergo more rigorous scrutiny.
7. The Beard of Tutankhamun’s Death Mask
The Mask of Tutankhamun is arguably one of the most iconic and admired artifacts in the world. Discovered in 1925 in the young pharaoh’s tomb, it is a stunning example of ancient craftsmanship.
When it was unearthed, the mask was already 3,248 years old, yet it remained in perfect condition. Sadly, this didn’t last, and in 2014, the beard detached, prompting a restoration attempt to preserve the mask.
The plaited beard weighed 5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg), so reattaching it required precision and skill. Unfortunately, the museum staff rushed the job and applied glue in the most unskilled manner possible.
The botched repair caused further damage, and the workers involved were charged with negligence and breaching professional standards. Their 'restoration' left visible scratches and gouges where they had tried to remove excess glue.
Fortunately, in 2015, a team of German experts managed to restore the mask. Their meticulous work repaired the damage and properly reattached the beard.
6. The Castle of Matrera, Spain
Restoring ancient structures is never easy, but there's a correct way to do it, and then there’s the Castle of Matrera method. Originally built in the 9th century to defend Iptuci, the castle underwent reconstruction in the 13th century, though it gradually fell into ruin over time.
By 2010, the castle still stood, though barely. Only a few walls were intact, and the remaining ruins had been weathered over the years. As a result, a restoration project was launched, led by architect Carlos Quevedo Rojas, who oversaw the work for five years until its completion in 2015.
His aim was to 'recover the volume, texture, and tonality that the tower would originally have had. The essence of the project is not intended to be, therefore, an image of the future, but rather a reflection of its own past, its own origin.'
The final result infuriated the locals, who felt the ancient castle had been irreparably ruined. Hispania Nostra, Spain's cultural heritage organization, described it as 'absolutely terrible.' Architecturally, it was sound, but culturally and historically, the national monument was nearly destroyed.
5. 'Saint George and the Dragon' – Estella, Spain
The Church of St. Michael in Estella, Navarre, houses a 16th-century polychrome statue of Saint George and the Dragon, but after centuries, it had deteriorated. The colors had largely faded, prompting restoration efforts to begin in 2018.
A local artist was tasked with repairing the statue, but the final result bore little resemblance to the original. The statue instead took on a cartoonish look, with St. George sporting rosy cheeks, making him appear more like Tintin than the legendary saint.
The restoration was a complete failure, so much so that the statue had to be 'unrestored' in order to undergo proper restoration later. Extensive work was required to undo the damage from the first attempt. After 1,000 hours of labor, the statue was mostly restored to its former glory.
Much of the original paint was lost during the series of restoration and unrestoration attempts, but the statue now looks better than it did before any efforts were made. In the end, a restoration that should have cost around €10,000 ended up costing close to €33,000. Additionally, the archdiocese of Pamplona was forced to pay a €6,000 fine for the damage.
4. 'Santa Bárbara' – Fortaleza De Santa Cruz, Brazil
The Santa Cruz da Barra Chapel once housed a 19th-century wooden statue of Santa Barbara, which required restoration by 2012. Over time, the paint had faded, so conservators from the Museu Histórico do Exército in Rio were assigned to restore it.
They spent six months carefully working on the statue to return it to its former glory, but the result was far from what the chapel had hoped for. The restorers removed four layers of paint and replaced them with a strange new coloration that has been described as more 'Barbie' than 'Santa Barbara.'
The statue ended up with what can only be called a disastrous makeover. The skin was painted white, excessive eyeliner was applied, and the robes were garishly colored, making the statue look completely out of place in a chapel.
The worst part of the restoration was that it wasn’t even necessary — at least, not to the degree it was done. At most, the statue needed a thorough cleaning and some touch-ups. Instead, the restorers completely stripped it and repainted, destroying its original beauty in the process.
3. Buddhist frescoes, Chaoyang, China
The 270-year-old Yunjie temple in Chaoyang, China, was once home to stunning Qing Dynasty frescoes, but time had largely eroded them. What remained were the figures, although much of the coloring had faded. They were a classic example of the period, and restoration was attempted in 2013.
Instead of carefully restoring the original images, the restorer took it upon themselves to completely paint over the faded ones. This might have been somewhat acceptable if the new artwork followed the original style, but it did not.
The new fresco looks more like a cartoon. Its bright colors resemble something you might see in a Disney film — and that’s even giving it too much credit. The original artwork was ruined, and the new creation was a painful reminder of what had been lost.
An official in charge of temple affairs and another leading the cultural heritage monitoring team in Chaoyang were dismissed due to the unauthorized restoration. Unfortunately, the damage was irreversible, and the original frescoes have been completely destroyed.
2. Ocakli Ada Castle, Sile, Turkey
The Ocakli Ada Castle in Sile, Turkey, was originally built as a watchtower around 2,000 years ago by the Genoese. The castle was later conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1396 and has undergone two significant restorations throughout its history.
The most recent restoration took place in 2015 after major renovations, but the result was far from expected. The stones that had originally formed the castle millennia ago were replaced with sleek, modern materials, giving the structure an entirely new look.
While the new castle might resemble the original, had it been built with modern tools 2,000 years ago, it no longer evokes the image of the tower it once was. Many online observers have drawn comparisons to Spongebob Squarepants due to its quirky appearance.
When the restoration was unveiled in 2015, it immediately went viral online. The original castle was effectively destroyed and replaced with a new structure, although the local municipality has defended the project.
Professor Kemal Kutgun Eyupgiller, who served as an advisor for the restoration, commented, "What truly deserves criticism here is the neglect the castle endured since the 19th century."
1. "St. Anthony of Padua"—Soledad, Colombia
In 2018, a wooden statue of Saint Anthony of Padua in Soledad, Colombia, was in need of restoration as its paint had significantly faded. While the statue’s structure remained intact, it had lost much of its original vibrancy without the proper coloring.
The statue, which was carved in the 17th century, had naturally experienced wear over time. By the time the church commissioned an artist to restore it, they opted for an artist rather than a professional restoration expert—a distinction that proved significant.
The artist’s work certainly revived the statue’s color, but not in a way that was well-received by the parishioners. Many critics described it as 'too effeminate,' with some claiming it gave the impression that Saint Anthony was wearing makeup.
Upon closer inspection, the statue appears as though it’s wearing glossy lip balm, eyeshadow, and extra blush. One parishioner remarked, 'He is no longer the same patron I’ve prayed to for the last 12 years. They applied eyeshadow, blush, and even gloss to his lips—he looks effeminate.'
