It was discovered after a thorough X-ray examination of the back of an 1885 painting titled "Head of a Peasant Woman." The work is located in Scotland.
The self-portrait depicts a bearded man, half of whose face is in shadow. His left ear is also clearly visible. The drawing was hidden under a thick layer of glue and cardboard. For art conservator Leslie Stevenson, who made the discovery, it was an incredible event.
Van Gogh is known to have enjoyed reusing his paintings, painting from both sides. Experts at the National Galleries of Scotland intend to remove the cardboard and glue without damaging the original image.
