Melania Trump: ‘Hideous’ statue of First Lady unveiled in Slovenia

A statue of First Lady Melania Trump erected near her home town in Slovenia has locals in awe, but for all the wrong reasons.

A “hideous” new Melania Trump statue has been compared to the infamous botched art restoration dubbed the Monkey Christ.

The new sculpture, erected close to the US First Lady’s hometown of Sevnica in Slovenia, shows no obvious relation to Melania Trump’s features.

The bronze monument of the First Lady is a replica of a wooden effigy that was burnt down by vandals on July 4, reported The Sun.

Slovenian Police said in a statement that it was considering the vandalism as “damage to property which is a criminal offence”.

Artist Ales ‘Maxi’ Zupevc created the original wooden sculpture, supposedly showing Mrs Trump wearing the iconic blue dress she wore at her husband US President Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration.

The latest sculpture, however, was made by US artist Brad Downey in bronze – to avoid any more torching.

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The new bronze statue depicting Melania Trump (left), and the original statue (right) that was torched. Picture: Jure Makovec/AFP

The new statue has come in for some criticism. Picture: Jure Makovec/AFP

It was unveiled this week, with a plaque stating: “Dedicated to the eternal memory of a monument to Melania which stood at this location.”

However, it does not seem to show the First Lady’s likeness – with a round face, long chin, and wonky nose.

Critics have called it “terrifying,” saying that it “looks like a kindergartener drew it”.

Another called it “a piece of sh*t”.

A third said: “Just as hideous as the first one.”

Some people have also argued that it resembles a botched restoration of a Spanish masterpiece, ‘Ecce Homo’ which was renamed ‘Monkey Christ’.

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Before and after shots of the 20th century Ecce Homo-style fresco of Christ before (left) and (right) after elderly amateur artist Cecilia Gimenez took it upon herself to restore it. Picture: AP

In 2012, the small northeastern Spanish town of Borja made headlines across the world after a parishioner attempted to restore Elías García Martínez’s work, painted in 1930.

But Jesus’ face came back blurry and resembling a cross between a potato and a monkey, said critics.

This story first appeared in The Sun and is reproduced with permission