Clearly, we live in an era where anybody with astigmatism and a paintbrush may call themselves an artist.

From Curt Jester:

  From I Fixed That:

Here we see two iterations of Elias Garcia Martinez’ Ecce Homo: the original painted nearly 100 years ago in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza, Spain, and the pitifully botched restoration done over the original by some random yo they hired because she had an art degree from Frank’s College of Knowledge.

Zaragoza city councilor Juan Maria Ojeda had this to say about the situation:
“I think she had good intentions. Next week she will meet with a repairer and explain what kind of materials she used. If we can’t fix it, we will probably cover the wall with a photo of the painting.”

From Curt Jester's comment box:

You missed the best part, Jeff:

“BBC Europe correspondent Christian Fraser says the delicate brush strokes of Elias Garcia Martinez have been buried under a haphazard splattering of paint. The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic, he says.”

My comment:  Did they not ask to see her portfolio before they hired her to do this?  If they did, and her work was of sufficient calibre to earn the job, then this was deliberate. If they didn't, they deserve what they got.  Personally, judging from the artwork of the fine arts graduates I run into around here, this may have been the best she could do, and I imagine she could include a forty page thesis as to why her work is more artistic than the original.

The council and church should have contacted these guys first.

UPDATE:  I have learned through the news that the knee jerk reaction of myself and other bloggers was incorrect.  The woman who painted over the original was an octagenarian neighbour parishioner who thought she would help out her parish and save it some money by doing it herself.  Her heart may have been in the right place... but no.