Van Gogh self-portrait found hidden behind another painting

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

LONDON (AP) — A previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh has been discovered behind another of the artist’s paintings, the National Galleries of Scotland said Thursday.

The self-portrait was found on the back of Van Gogh’s “Head of a Peasant Woman” when experts at the Edinburgh gallery took an X-ray of the canvas ahead of an upcoming exhibition. The work is believed to have been hidden for over a century, covered by layers of glue and cardboard when it was framed in the early 20th century.

Van Gogh was known for turning canvases around and painting on the other side to save money.

The portrait shows a bearded sitter in a brimmed hat. Experts said the subject was instantly recognizable as the artist himself, and is thought to be from his early work. The left ear is clearly visible and Van Gogh famously cut his off in 1888.



Senior Conservator Lesley Stevenson views Head of a Peasant Woman alongside an x ray image of the hidden Van Gogh self portrait. A previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh has been discovered behind another of the artist’s paintings. The National Galleries of Scotland said Thursday it was discovered on the back of Van Gogh’s “Head of a Peasant Woman” when experts took an X-Ray of the canvas ahead of an upcoming exhibition. (Neil Hanna via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/hidden-van-gogh-self-portrait-b703b4391c4ec0ba5bcf381ae44a6c3b

[Blues Heron]

1. wouldnt that be his right ear? assuming he used a mirror?

cool find!

[Captain Zero]

2. Nice hat, Van Gogh.

nt

[Marthe48]

3. I wonder what they'll do?

Preserve the later painting, or expose the self-portrait?

I went to a Van Gogh Immersion last Nov. There are a lot of self portraits in existence.

[Martin68]

18. I suspect they will photograph the earlier painting and display it that way. It doesn't look like

it's in any condition to exhibit.

[Marthe48]

19. They can do a lot with digital

I hope they can salvage it.

[Martin68]

20. I imagine they can do an excellent job digitally restoring the painting.

[CTyankee]

40. where was it and can I go?

[Marthe48]

42. They had the immersion set up in several locations

My daughters and I went to one near D.C. Here is a link to see where the immersion is offered: https://vangoghexpo.com/


The exhibit was in the 80s. You can get in touch with your local museums and see if they will have exhibits you want to see.

Hope you find something you like

[central scrutinizer]

4. There was a Van Gogh on display

At the local university art museum. You could get real close to it. It was very cool to be able to see the brush strokes, globs of paint, etc. A three dimensional experience.

[3catwoman3]

5. "A three dimensional experience" is an excellent way to...

…describe looking at a Van Gogh painting. In 1974, I was in Amsterdam and went to the Van Gogh museum. I was fascinated by being able to see the lines left in the paint from the bristles/hairs in the brushes. Some of the paint was so thick and shiny that it looked as if it were still wet.

A glorious experience.

[TexasBushwhacker]

29. I went in '74 too!

It was the summer between my junior and senior year in high school.

[CTyankee]

41. I know that museum! I broke down and wept at "Wheat fields with Crows."

I was part of a small group that went on a barge down the rivers of Holland where we saw the sky that the artist must have painted under day after day. We went to Rembrandt's house, still standing, and I stood in his studio where he painted so many of his masterpieces.

The effect on me has been lasting and at time intense.

[Marthe48]

6. I've been lucky to see original Impressionists' art

An exhibit on loan to The Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Thrilling

[BigmanPigman]

35. I was yelled at for touching one of them.

I couldn't help it, it looked so tactile, like it was asking to be touched. I think he must have squirted the paint right out of the tube onto the canvas. No wonder he was always broke, those paints cost a lot, even back then.

[Mosby]

7. Frankly who cares.

This stuff is for the super rich. Personally I think van gogh is very overrated.

[Auggie]

8. Artists care. Art Historians. Creative people. People with genuine curiosity. Me.

[Bayard]

10. Seconded!

[BlueIdaho]

11. Personally, I care...

But I understand the dilemma of art as investment tool vs art as human expression. Two different things really.

[Marthe48]

22. There is so much art available

I have bought so many pieces of original art, at sales, yeard sales, estate sales. I buy what I like, what I can afford. Almost everything I have on display is original. I like knowing that the artist touched the work that I have and like music, the real thing touches me more than a copy. Some of the the things I have been created by people I know, which is always a plus Some of the things I bought are more valuable than what I paid, but it wasn't my intent to invest, just to feel good.

As for Van Gogh, until I went to the Immersion, I didn't appreciate his work as much as I do now. There is some quality about his art that speaks to a huge number of people. Maybe sincerity and passion.

[BlueIdaho]

24. That's great!

Owning original art is good for your soul and there is quality work in almost any price range. I live in the sticks so the work of the masters first hand is a rare experience. Like you, I didn’t really love Van Gogh’s work until I saw it with my own eyes. The same goes for Jackson Pollock. Not much in a small print but jaw dropping in a museum.

[Marthe48]

25. I was planning to be an art teacher

got derailed, but learned a lot in all of the classes I took. And knowing what happens between the pot and the canvas, it is all wonderful to me!

[BlueIdaho]

34. I'll bet you're still an art teacher

In your own way, every day.

[Marthe48]

37. Thank you

I'm pleased to offer information if someone is asking

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. Thank you. ME TOO!!

[LiberalLovinLug]

9. As a artist painter myself, I agree

But....I also think he was incredibly visionary, and ahead of his time. And made some incredible works which transcended his subject matter. And had enough of a body of work to create another way of seeing the world for viewers. He deserves his place in Art History. But that is how the Art industry works, you "overrate" the chosen few, and discard the rest.

My beef is with that Art industry and how it operates. They elevate a tiny percent of artists to be the chosen ones that the elite buyers, who have a lot of excess money to spend and like art and so use their collections as a kind of investment bank. Obscene amounts paid for one painting or sculpture. Because they know it will go up a few more million before they re-sell it. While so many artists struggle to just make enough to pay the bills. Many of them as talented as Vincent in his day.

[ZZenith]

12. 100 percent disagree with the over-rated part.

I can understand not liking his particular style but very few artists have ever been able to capture light the way he did.

[LudwigPastorius]

23. I agree that he's not overrated.

Van Gogh was someone who, frankly, didn't have a lot of natural painting talent.

He worked for a mere 10 years, but he worked relentlessly, despite having only sold one painting in his lifetime.
He painted constantly, buying supplies instead of food. He had epilepsy and was probably bipolar, but that didn't slow him down.

He kept pursuing his ideal, and through sheer force of will broke through and created a new way of looking at the world.

[LudwigPastorius]

13. "Frankly who cares."

Here ya go.

[royable]

15. Needs more cowbell. n/t

[callous taoboy]

21. Ha! Thank you! Thank you very much.

[Martin68]

17. I care. The man was a genius, and I love his work. I'm not super rich, by the way. But it is so cool

they just found an early self-portrait that no one knew about. In an era before smart phones, likenesses of someone like van Gogh are relatively rare. So why are you so invested in telling everybody how little you care for his work? Why should anyone care about your curmudgeonly opinion?

[Whatthe_Firetruck]

26. Dr. Who fans care.

https://images.app.goo.gl/np7rYqaPr3bhgHSj6

From "Vincent and the Doctor"

[Coventina]

28. Well, you apparently care to post about it!

[Mosby]

32. Explain to me how a painting is worth 100 million dollars.

And what else could that 100 millions dollars be spent on?

The high end art market is just an extreme form of consumption and privilege.

[Coventina]

33. Simple: Supply and Demand

There are a limited number of works of art by any deceased artist of note. That makes their value high. The more notable the artist, the higher the worth, due to increased demand.

Certainly, this does not mean that I necessarily endorse people spending their money on art rather than philanthropic causes. The rich buy expensive art for the same reason they always have: it is a reflection of their wealth, power, and prestige.

I'm sure Vincent Van Gogh would be shocked at the prices of his works (he famously only sold two paintings in his lifetime) and would encourage people to spend their money more wisely. (He wanted to be a missionary - but that's a long story I won't go in to now).

I'd much rather these works go to museums rather than private collections, but museums have difficulty raising the capital needed to buy them when they are auctioned.

But, all that is not a reason to not care about the art itself. These works are highly valued for cultural and historical reasons that remain irrelevant to our issues with capitalism.

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. I care! I find his art beautiful

But you are correct, it's totally subjective. Personally, I have no idea why people buy Jeff Koons stainless steel balloon animals for millions of dollars, but they do, so good for him I guess.

It certainly doesn't have to be ONLY an investment for the very wealthy. Buy what you love, preferably from the original artist.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Ahead of his time. An avid recycler.

[IcyPeas]

27. those art materials were expensive back in the day and he had no money.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

31. And he painted about 900 works in ten years

Amazing output.

[MinisterPathos]

36. Recycled

Or not. Beautiful work.

[pansypoo53219]

38. shame its not on the back. i have a pre1930's double sided painting. i only painted over 1/2 done

painting + it became one of my best/favorite figure painting. of course, i painted over a horrid painting by somebody else.