On Thursday, July 14, conservators at the National Galleries of Scotland discovered a previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. Painted on the reverse side of the artist’s “Head of Peasant Woman” (1885) portrait, the apparitional work came to light during an X-ray in preparation for an upcoming Impressionism exhibition in Edinburgh.
Covered by a cardboard backing and glue, the piece unmistakably depicts the bearded Dutch master in a hat and neckerchief with his left ear clearly visible, predating its violent removal in 1888.