New theory on the Jesus fresco retouch

(Via Pete Emslie) Previously

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Daemonworks

Old lady ruins painting, suddenly there’s interesting in getting proper restoration work done. Hmm. Maybe she did have permission…
- Adrian
  
  And more people have seen the image in the past few days than in it’s whole history. If I believed in magic I’d say it was a miracle.
  - http://profile.yahoo.com/65CSAR3QATRNKJW4NYNB2BESZE JohnQPublic
    
    It’s like the opposite of finding Jesus on a piece of toast…
    - http://boingboing.net/ The Life Of Bryan
      
      An image of Jesus is now toast.
    - http://www.facebook.com/elliot.mabeuse Elliot Mabeuse
      
      :-) I wonder how often this has happened? That a painting of Jesus or Mary has turned into a burnt tortilla or the stain on a soy bean storage tank? It’s a miracle!
- Heartfruit
  
  But the grand daughter of the original artist had donated money for the restoration before this happened. Only now that’s not enough money.
  - http://twitter.com/wormhog wormhog
    
    I can’t imagine any sum of money that could save it, but I’d love to see someone try.
Gimlet_eye

The first rule of restoring something that is damaged: Don’t mess with the parts that aren’t damaged.
- Rich Keller
  
  I thought that the first rule of art restoration is; don’t talk about art restoration.
voiceinthedistance

It’s all in the details, sometimes.
Guest

My granny could do that.
http://profiles.google.com/spacewatcer Marios P.

she got the clothing pretty good though she messed up the papyrus
Wingnut

Now I regret teaching my Grandma how to photoshop…
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Well, she already knew how to suck eggs.
orangedesperado

The Truth About De-Evolution: Now It Can Be Told.

This restoration underlines Devo’s manifesto.
- Rich Keller
  
  Are we not man?
  
  Ecce Devo.
Teller

Woman might make interesting Coca-Cola spokeswoman. “Nothing I like more than refreshing Fresca.”
Rich Keller

I just thought of a question. How did this fresco become so deteriorated in just a dozen or so decades? The missing pigment looks like it’s been abraded off by people touching it as an act of devotion. It could also be possible that the ground or the pigment have been laid in improperly and aren’t adhering the way they should be.
- retepslluerb
  
  I believe it isn’t a true fresco, i.e. it was not drawn on fresh lime plaster, but a painting executed on dry plaster.
  - http://twitter.com/spookiewon Pjay (Patti) Pender
    
    That was my thought. The church I grew up attending had many genuine frescos that were much older than this one but in much better condition.
- http://www.facebook.com/elliot.mabeuse Elliot Mabeuse
  
  The image is known as The Jesus of the Scouring Pads, and villagers would bless their steel wool by rubbing it against Christ’s arm and ear.
- Cory Trevor
  
  Just what happens when you use that shitty Rose-Art tempera on sale at Jo-Ann fabrics.
Marmo Squirrel

It is a tragedy that an artwork was ruined, But it’s done and cannot be fixed this second… I must say I rather like the Granny Photoshop Version. it’s a pity she couldn’t have just painted it on a bit of paper and hung it over the original. The effect would have been the same.
bakingbarrister

I’m convinced it looks like Fezzik from the Princess Bride.
Snig

Maybe it’s viral marketing for the re-re-rebooting of the Planet of the Apes Franchise.
RedShirt77

I like the new version better anyway. All hail our monkey god overlords!
RedShirt77

Christ, what a Pissarro.
http://profile.yahoo.com/BUSYAWMRBZOVHLEA566TYPDBKM D

Thank god she used enamels…