Never-before-seen self-portrait of Van Gogh discovered behind another painting in Scotland

An unprecedented self-portrait of Vincent Van Goghwith the ear intact, was found behind another canvas by the Dutch painter, the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh said on Thursday (14).

The work was discovered thanks to an X-ray study of the canvas “Portrait of a Woman (Peasant Head)”, made in 1885 by Van Gogh, before an exhibition on Impressionism at the Scottish Museum.

“When we first saw the X-ray, of course we were very moved,” said Lesley Stevenson, Principal Curator of the National Gallery of Scotland.

The portrait was found behind the canvas, covered in layers of glue and cardboard, which were apparently placed before an exhibition in the early 20th century.

“Moments like these are incredibly rare,” said Frances Fowle, curator at the National Gallery of Scotland. “We have discovered an unprecedented work by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important and well-known artists in the world.”

Van Gogh is known for reusing canvases to save money.

This self-portrait shows a seated bearded man wearing a hat and a scarf around his neck. His left ear – which the painter cut off in 1888 – can be seen perfectly.

At the exhibition in Edinburgh, from 30 July to 13 November, visitors will be able to see the work, reproduced by radiography. Curators now need to study how to remove the glue to separate the two paintings without damaging them.

Source: O Globo Agency