The 10 Worst Art Restorations in History – Listverse
Art restoration is a delicate dance between preserving history and breathing new life into the past. But sometimes well-intentioned efforts result in outright disasters. Some pieces have been mutilated, others have been completely lost. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that you should never send art to Spain for restoration.
From amateurish tweaks to misguided attempts, the top ten worst art restorations in history left the art world cringing and the rest of us scratching our heads.
Related: 10 rare discoveries about famous artists and their art
10 Ecce Homo, Spain
Ah, Ecce Homo, or as some affectionately (or not so affectionately) call it: “Ecce Catastrophe!” Imagine a sleepy town in Spain, the picturesque Santuario de Misericordia and Elias Garcia Martinez’s serene fresco of Jesus watching over the congregation. Now, fast forward to 2012, when an elderly parishioner named Cecilia Gimenez decided the iconic statue needed a facelift.
In a burst of artistic enthusiasm (or perhaps madness), Cecilia unleashed her inner Picasso on the poor Ecce Homo. What followed was nothing short of a restoration disaster. The once sublime Jesus turned into what can only be described as a blurry-faced monkey who appeared to have done a few rounds in a boxing ring.
The failed restoration turned the modest city into a global punchline, attracting large numbers of tourists eager to witness the ‘masterpiece’. The hilarious part? The authorities considered restoring Cecilia to its original state and turning the entire ordeal into a meta-commentary on the nature of art and its subjective interpretation.
So there you have it: a story about good intentions gone haywire, leaving a transformed outcome Ecce Homo which is now arguably more famous in its failed form than in its original splendor. The lesson? Sometimes art just needs to be left alone to age gracefully, wrinkles and all.
9 St. George statue, Spain
The statue of St. George in Spain is a masterpiece that has undergone a restoration worthy of a tragic comedy. This poor knight in shining armor, who originally graced the streets of Estella, found himself in the hands of a well-meaning but completely misguided restaurateur. Imagine a brave Saint George, ready to slay the dragon, and now with a look that screams, “I’ve seen things, man.”
The restoration, or rather, the transformation, took an unexpected turn when the restorer decided to channel Picasso’s abstract period. St. George’s face became a cubist puzzle, with eyes that seemed to wander in different directions, perhaps searching for the dragon that had gone missing. The once imposing sword now resembled a badly melted candlestick.
What makes this restoration particularly worthwhile is the courage to give a medieval hero a makeover, inspired by modern art. It’s like putting skinny jeans on a knight and expecting him to joust with style. The St. George statue recently underwent a $34,000 “non-restoration” to return it to its chivalric glory. Note to future restorers: Dragons are mythical, but disastrous restoration is all too real.
8 Santa Bárbara statue, Brazil
The wooden Santa Bárbara statue in Brazil is a masterpiece that fell victim to one of the most spectacular art restorations in history. To set the scene, imagine a serene, ancient wooden figure representing Santa Bárbara, the patron saint of lightning, storms and, oh, seemingly questionable restoration choices.
Originally crafted by an unknown artist in the 18th century, this sacred statue ended up in the hands of a well-meaning but perhaps misguided restorer. The 2012 restoration effort transformed Santa Bárbara into something that can only be described as the result of a collaboration between Picasso and Salvador Dali on a particularly surreal day.
The delicate features of the original sculpture were replaced by a face that looked as if it had been through one too many storms – and not in the weather sense. Santa Bárbara looked more like a failed modern art experiment than a revered religious artifact.
7 Mosaics in the Hatay Archaeological Museum in Turkey
The restoration of the mosaics at the Hatay Archaeological Museum in Turkey resulted in significant damage to at least ten priceless Roman mosaics, some dating from the second century. The restoration attempt, which aimed to repair the mosaics, led to distortion of their features, making them look markedly different from the valuable originals.
During the restoration, mosaic pieces were added to the originals, losing their originality and value. The failed repair raised concerns about the extent of the damage, leading to an investigation and the suspension of all restoration work at the museum. The restorers denied claims of wrongdoing and argued that the before and after images in the Turkish press had been manipulated. Can you imagine destroying precious art like this and then trying to make an entire country believe it never happened?
6 Buddhist frescoes, Chaoyang China
The restoration of the almost 300 year old Buddhist frescoes at Yunjie Temple in Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, China, resulted in a failed attempt that sparked outrage. The unauthorized restoration involved painting over the 270-year-old frescoes with cartoonish images, leading to the distortion and removal of the original historical and cultural artifacts.
This incident led to the dismissal of two officials and a reprimand for another, highlighting the importance of preserving cultural heritage with proper restoration techniques. Ultimately, it was recognized by experts from the provincial government for cultural heritage that the frescoes should be restored to their original state.
5 Statue of Mary and Baby Jesus, Canada
The restoration of the Mary and baby Jesus statue at Ste. Anne des Pins Catholic Church in Sudbury, Canada, attracted attention and mixed reactions. The original white stone statue of Mary and baby Jesus was targeted by vandals, leaving baby Jesus’ head missing. A local artist, Heather Wise, made a bright orange head out of clay to replace the missing head.
However, the new head caused bewilderment and disappointment among parishioners and worldwide attention because of its appearance and the contrast in colors. The terracotta head began to erode from rain about a week after it was attached. Ultimately, the original missing head was returned to the church and reattached to the statue. The restoration attempt led to ridicule and disappointment, with some comparing the new head to the cartoon character Maggie Simpson.
4 Wooden sculptures from the 15th century, Ranadoiro, Spain
The restoration of the 15th century wooden sculptures in Ranadoiro, Spain, resulted in a controversial and unsuccessful outcome. The series of wooden sculptures, which originally depicted Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary with Jesus Christ and Saint Peter in natural, muted tones, was painted over in bright hues by an amateur restorer, Maria Luisa Menendez.
No offense to Menendez, but the outcome was a hot mess. The unauthorized restoration led to the statues being depicted in unconventionally bright colors, with Jesus in a neon green robe and the Virgin Mary in bright pink. The changes were widely criticized, with art restoration experts expressing dismay, calling it a “huge tragedy” and a “lack of sensitivity.” Attempts have been made to assess the damage and investigate the possibility of reversing the restoration.
3 The Immaculate Conception of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
The recovery of The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables by the 17th century Spanish artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo in Spain resulted in an unsuccessful outcome. It was done in 1813 when the Marshal Soult Collection acquired it. They tried to remove the varnish incorrectly, which destroyed the artists’ transparent glaze effect. From then on they thought it would be a ‘good idea’ to just paint over it. No.
So this is one painting that actually had to be restored twice… and both attempts failed. The painting was later purchased by the Museo del Prado in 1941. This time the restoration team came up with the idea of adding strips of linen to the edges. They also tried to remove the old paint and remove the added layer of paint. But they soon realized that the surface was so worn that old images were visible through it, so they stopped working.
Third time’s the charm?
2 Stone figure at the Palencia in Spain
The restoration of a stone figure on a building in Palencia, Spain, resulted in a controversial and widely criticized outcome. The statue, which originally had human-like features, was transformed into a deformed representation that some compared to a cartoon character, a potato or even President Donald Trump. The restoration attempt was carried out by an unnamed ‘restoration expert’.
The locals were less than enthusiastic about this avant-garde approach to restoration. I mean, who would that be? The figure went from an art form to a pile of trash. They might as well have put up a sign that said, “Welcome to Palencia, where even the stone figures need a makeover.”
1 Leonardo da Vinci’s Orpheus is attacked by the Furies
Did you know that there is a work of art by Da Vince that you have never seen? By Leonardo da Vinci drawing Orpheus is attacked by the Furies was in a private collection in 1998. It was based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. However, the restoration attempt resulted in significant controversy. The restorers tried to loosen the sketch from the support with a solution of alcohol and water.
Unfortunately, the mixture on the paper caused a chemical reaction. All the ink began to disappear, causing irreversible damage to the valuable artwork. The botched restoration raised concerns about the need for good restoration techniques and expertise in handling precious works of art.