By chance, a previously unknown self-portrait of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh was discovered in a Scottish museum. It is “highly likely” to be a drawing by the famous artist, the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh said Thursday. The discovery came from an X-ray examination of an 1885 painting.
The self-portrait is on the back of the canvas, National Galleries Scotland reports. The image, which depicts a bearded man wearing a scarf and hat, was discovered when the painting Head of a Peasant Woman in a White Hat (1885) was examined with X-rays in preparation for an exhibition.
Drawing pasted with layers of cardboard
The image was covered with several layers of glue and cardboard, which were probably attached for an exhibition at the beginning of the 20th century. It is known that Van Gogh often used the backs of paintings to save money.
The left ear, which the painter cut off in 1888, is clearly visible. The drawing must therefore be made in advance. It is probably an early work and one of Van Gogh’s first attempts at painting himself. The gallery now wants to give visitors a glimpse into the sketch using a specially made light box.
“Unthinkable gift for Scotland”
Curator Frances Fowle was enthusiastic. “Those kinds of moments are incredibly rare,” she said. “We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent van Gogh, one of the most important and well-known artists in the world.” This is an unimaginable gift for Scotland.
Experts do not rule out that the works can be separated. However, removing the glue and cardboard in particular is a challenge so as not to damage the painting on the other side.
Source: Krone
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