The incredible discovery was made possible after Van Gogh’s 1885 painting ‘Portrait of a Peasant Woman’ was x-rayed
A self portrait of him Vincent Van Gogh was spotted on the back of a painting by the Dutch painter from a museum in Scotland, which today said it was an “incredibly rare” find.
The discovery was made possible after the painting was x-rayed “Portrait of a Villager”painted by Van Gogh in 1885 and which is in Edinburgh, as part of an exhibition dedicated to the painter.
The self-portrait was located on the back of the painting covered by layers of glue and paper, which appears to have been added before an exhibition in the early 20th century.
“Such moments are incredibly rare,” said Frances Fowle, curator of the National Gallery of Scotland. “We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent van Gogh, one of the world’s most important and popular artists“, he added.
Van Gogh is known to have reused paper to save money.
The self-portrait shows a bearded man wearing a hat and a scarf around his neck. His left ear—which Van Gogh cut off in 1888—is visible.
During the exhibition, which will be held from July 30 to November 13, visitors will be able to admire the work inside a specially made photo box.
The museum is now looking at how it can remove the glue and separate the two works without damaging them.
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