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This X-ray image shows the previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh on the reverse side of his painting A farmer’s head.
Graeme Yule / National Galleries of Scotland
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Graeme Yule / National Galleries of Scotland
This X-ray image shows the previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh on the reverse side of his painting A farmer’s head.
Graeme Yule / National Galleries of Scotland
When Vincent Van Gogh was short on money, he started painting on both sides of the canvas, but over the years some of his reverse side panels have been covered and lost. Now, another one of his hidden self-portraits has been discovered, this time at the National Galleries in Scotland.
“Moments like this are incredibly rare,” Frances Faul, chief curator of French Art, said in a statement. “We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important and famous artists in the world.”
The self-portrait was revealed during an X-ray of an 1885 painting by Van Gogh, O Lord, a peasant woman, The museum was preparing for an upcoming exhibition on impressionism, which is scheduled to open at the end of this month.
The self-portrait has been hidden from view for over a century, and has been placed on the back of the canvas farmer head It was “covered with layers of glue and cardboard,” the museum said in a statement on Thursday.
Van Gogh farmer head It is one of three pieces of the artist’s work in the National Galleries Collection. With the discovery of their hidden self-portrait, they now have four works in total.
Scotland’s National Galleries
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Scotland’s National Galleries
Van Gogh farmer head It is one of three pieces of the artist’s work in the National Galleries Collection. With the discovery of their hidden self-portrait, they now have four works in total.
Scotland’s National Galleries
Experts at the museum believe that the newly discovered self-portrait covering material was applied in the early 20th century before the art was displayed.
“When we saw the X-rays for the first time of course we were thrilled. Such a great discovery happens once, twice in a restoration worker’s life,” said Leslie Stephenson, chief restoration of the paintings, in a video released by the museum. “Having an image as far-fetched as it is nowadays is something very special.”
It is not yet clear whether it is possible to reveal a hidden self-portrait, but that does not mean that you cannot see it. The X-ray image of the ghost image will be part of the upcoming exhibition, and can be viewed using a special lightbox.
The museum describes the newly discovered image as “a bearded sitter in a brimmed hat with her neck handkerchief tied tightly at the throat. He fixes the viewer with a keen look, the right side of his face in shadow and his left ear clearly visible.”
This selfie is not the first The Hidden Painting of Van Gogh To be discovered and may not be the last. Other double-sided works of Van Gogh have previously been revealed, including in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The famous artist also drew on his work on occasion.
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