Anger at Charlatan Painting Cleaner Bodge Job

A Charlatan who bodged the face of a famous Virgin Mary painting and charged the owner €1,200 for his work has been slammed by art experts in Spain.

THE copy of the 17th century painting of the Immaculate Conception by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is owned by an anonymous art collector in Valencia who commissioned someone claiming to be a restorer to clean the painting. The bodger made two attempts at the restoration and left it ruined.

News of the bungle has seen the association that represents restorers and conservators in Spain, ACRE, call for art restoration to be regulated as this is the latest in a long line of botch jobs by so-called art restorers in the country.

In a statement they said that Spanish restorers and conservators were highly regarded in the profession across Europe and the world. But this highlighted the lack of regulation around unqualified people dealing with important pieces of historic artwork.

“We should be alarmed that some of our heritage is disappearing because of these disastrous interventions.

“We want to make it clear that no professional with an official academic, would carry out this kind of attack on (our) heritage.”

The original painting is hanging in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

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Written by

Helen Barklam

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