New Restoration Scandal: The Painting “Immaculate Conception” Is Now Unrecognisable

Spain recalls other similar cases.

A private art collector from Spain was shocked when he saw the result of the restoration of a painting by Baroque artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. This is reported by BBC Ukraine.

A collector from Valencia paid a restorer 1,200 euros to clean the painting. However, despite two attempts to improve the painting “Immaculate Conception”, it is now impossible to recognise it. Following this incident, Spain has begun recalling other unsuccessful restoration attempts.

For example, in 2012 an elderly parishioner tried to restore a valuable fresco depicting Jesus Christ in a local church near Zaragoza. However, her attempt led to the painting being dubbed “Monkey Christ” or “Fuzzy Christ”.

In 2019, public attention was drawn to a 16th-century statue of Saint George in a church in Navarre. After restoration, some compared its new appearance to a Playmobil toy.

Currently, Spain has no law prohibiting people from restoring works of art if they lack the necessary skills. However, the professional association of restorers condemns the absence of legal regulation in this area.

“This lack of regulation means a lack of protection for our heritage. In recent years, restoration and conservation specialists have been forced to emigrate or leave their profession due to a shortage of opportunities,” the organisation said in its statement.