A restoration project meant to preserve religious statues in the Brazilian town of Carmo do Cajuru has instead become the latest viral art disaster. Residents were left stunned after several sculptures in Praça do Cruzeiro emerged with dramatically altered faces that looked nothing like the originals.
The statues suddenly featured oversized eyes, exaggerated eyebrows, heavy eyelashes and even bright red lipstick on a statue of the Virgin Mary. What was intended as maintenance quickly turned into a social media sensation, with many locals describing the results as bizarre and even comical.
See Also
A New Entry in the Hall of Restoration Fails
Public reaction was swift and unforgiving. Residents accused those responsible of damaging cultural heritage, while others mocked the artwork online. One commenter pointed out that even Jesus’ eyes had been painted unevenly, calling the situation “unbelievable.”
Facing growing criticism, local authorities clarified that the city was not responsible for the work. The parish acted quickly and removed the controversial paint the very same day, restoring the statues’ faces to their original white appearance.
The church is now searching for a professional specialist in sacred art to carry out a proper restoration. The incident joins a long list of famous restoration blunders, including Spain’s legendary “Monkey Christ” fresco in Borja, which became one of the most notorious art restoration failures in history.
O QUE???🚨 Restauração de estátuas religiosas em MG vira motivo de riso: 'Deixaram o olho de Jesus torto' 👩🎨🎨
As esculturas do Monumento do Calvário de Jesus, em Carmo do Cajuru (Centro-Oeste de Minas Gerais), passaram por uma reforma para recuperar o desgaste natural do tempo.… pic.twitter.com/gX5RxY9YXU
— Nota (@jornalnota) June 12, 2026
