What was supposed to be a conservation job ended up becoming an unexpected viral sensation. A series of religious statues underwent a restoration process intended to give them back part of their original appearance, but the final result sparked bewilderment, mockery, and thousands of comments on social media.
The figures, which for years had been part of the local heritage, appeared with faces completely different from the ones they had before. What drew the most attention were their huge round eyes and exaggerated expressions, which many compared to cartoon characters or children’s caricatures.
The photographs began circulating on the internet, where users described the work as one of the strangest restorations they had ever seen. Some even recalled other famous attempts at artistic restoration that ended up going viral for similar reasons.
While some defended the effort made to recover the pieces, others felt that the result altered the historical appearance of the sculptures too much.
Whatever the opinion, there is one thing many agree on: after seeing the images, it is hard to forget these statues.