Statue Compared To 'Cartoon Character' After Repair Work

A Spanish sculpture has been criticised following a restoration which has left it looking like a 'cartoon'.

Painter Antonio Capel took to social media to criticise the newly restored statue, which was unveiled in the city of Palencia in the northern Spanish region of Castile and Leon.

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Posting before and after shots of the statue, Guzman wrote: "It looks like a cartoon character."

I mean, I can definitely see his point here.

The original sculpture was replaced after falling off during some restoration works, as.com reports.

He went on to compare the newly repaired statue to the Ecce Homo Jesus fresco in Borja in Spain, which was given a less-than-flattering restoration by a well-meaning, but very out of her depth, cleaner.

Sharing their views about the sculpture online, one resident said: "It makes me want to cry, it is terrible. And to think of all the great artists we have."

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Another said: "My granddaughter could do better with playdough."

While a third added: "It looks like sand sculptures kids do on the beach."

The building, which was commissioned in 1919 and opened in 1923, is one of the most iconic in the city centre of Palencia and is currently home to a branch of the Unicaja bank.

The building's owners are yet to comment on the criticism levelled at its restoration.

The Ecce Homo fresco hit headlines around the world back in 2012, when it was 'restored' by 81-year-old Cecilia Giménez.

Art-lovers were left reeling after seeing the erm... 'makeover' she'd given to Jesus, leaving him looking a bit like a monkey.

The fresco was painted by Elías García Martínez in around 1930, but visitors going to see it today would be met with something quite unrecognisable from the original work.

PA

But it actually turned into a bit of win for the town of Boa who saw a huge influx of tourists to come and see the 'restored' work.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2018, mayor Eduardo Arilla said: "As soon as people knew that it was Cecilia who had done it, everything changed.

"And this has become a social phenomenon and a pop art icon."

I think the lesson we can all learn here is: if it's a job's worth doing, it's worth doing badly.

Topics: Spain, Weird

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19