Revealed at last, Van Gogh’s secret selfie
FOR more than a century, a self-portrait of the artist Vincent Van Gogh has been hiding in plain sight.
Archivists at the National Galleries of Scotland discovered the ‘thrilling’ image of the Dutch master when X-raying his renowned 1885 painting Head of a Peasant Woman for an upcoming exhibition.
The newly revealed work shows a bearded man in a brimmed hat wearing a neckerchief. It is similar to his Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, finished in 1888.
Experts believe the sketch is from his early work when he first started exploring self-portraits.
Van Gogh was known for reusing canvases to save money by turning them around and working on the other side. There is a possibility the two paintings could be separated but this would require delicate conservation work.
Visitors will be able to see the X-ray image of the newly discovered sketch by using a specially crafted lightbox at the exhibition, A Taste for Impressionism, at the Scottish Academy in Edinburgh at the end of the month.
Professor Frances Fowle, a senior curator of French art at the National Galleries, described the discovery was ‘thrilling’. She said: ‘Moments like this are incredibly rare. We’ve discovered an unknown work by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important and popular artists in the world. What an incredible gift for Scotland and one that will forever be in the care of the National Galleries.’
Lesley Stevenson, a senior paintings conservator at the National Galleries, said: ‘When we saw the X-ray for the first time, of course we were hugely excited.
‘This is a significant discovery because it adds to what we already know about Van Gogh’s life. There is lots to think about with regards to the next steps, but for us it is another little nugget to get a little bit closer to an incredible artist.
‘Knowing it’s there in a painting that’s in the National Galleries of Scotland in a collection that belongs to the people of Scotland is incredibly important.’
■ The exhibition will run from July 30 to November 13.