The hermitage of Peeping Tom in Soriahistorically white, is now pink inside. The building, of baroque origin and erected in 1725, has been completely transformed. Whereas before it had its cherubs, represented in the Bible with blond hair, they are now dark-haired.

The diocese, promoter of the works, speaks of “ordinary conservation“and that the intervention was as planned, a completely different position from that of the city council, which has opened an investigation into the matter. In the statement they implicitly acknowledge that the painting of the cherubs is not as expected and the experts warn that it may be irreversible.

The Association of Conservators-Restorers of Spain is calling for the law to be amended so that we do not have to regret seeing more historical heritage end up (almost) turned into memes.

The truth is that the hermitage of Mirón is not the only one that has undergone monstrous transformations. The San Jorge in the Navarrese town of Estella could serve as a merry-go-round, or the cherub in the parish of Saint Sebastian in Reinosa which left a doll like a roscón or the image of a well-known brand of snack bags.

The 15th century sculpture in the Rañadoiro hermitage was restored by a local resident who did not skimp on paint to cover these three figures. Something similar happened to the well-known Ecce Homo of Borgiawhich enjoyed a success that the ‘Knight with his hand on his chest’ did not have. El Grecowhich completely changed the background and colors of the original.

Despite having exported most of these accidental works of art, other countries are following in our footsteps. In Canada, they turned a Virgin Mary with the boy in an image worthy of the Simpsons. Because no matter how hard we try to fix the past, we are always condemned to repeat history… even if sometimes in doing so we go beyond the borders.