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London (CNN) --
A previously unpublished self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh has been discovered behind one of his paintings, covered in layers of glue and cardboard for more than a century.
The image was found when art conservators X-rayed Van Gogh's 1885 painting "Head of a Peasant Woman" ahead of an upcoming exhibition.
They discovered the hidden image on the back of his canvas, hidden by a sheet of cardboard, according to a press release from the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS).
According to experts, the revealed artwork is believed to have been unknown until now.
"Moments like this are incredibly rare," Frances Fowle, senior curator of French art at the NGS, said in Thursday's news release.
"We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent van Gogh, one of the most important and popular artists in the world."
An X-ray examination revealed a self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh on the back of the canvas of his 1885 painting "Head of a Peasant Woman."
Credit: Neil Hanna
The Dutch master used to reuse the canvases to save money, turning them over to work on the reverse, according to the NGS.
It is believed that the self-portrait was probably made during a key moment in Van Gogh's career, when he was exposed to the work of the French Impressionists after moving to Paris.
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The "absolutely convincing" X-ray image shows "a bearded model, wearing a brimmed hat and a loose scarf at his throat. He stares at the viewer, with the right side of his face in shadow and his left ear clearly visible." visible," according to the statement.
Although the status of the actual self-portrait is unknown, if discovered, it is hoped it will help shed new light on the renowned artist.
The process of removing the glue and cardboard will require delicate conservation work.
Research is ongoing on how to do this without damaging the "Head of a Peasant Woman" artwork.
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The painting, which shows a local woman from the town of Nuenen in the southern Netherlands, where the artist lived from December 1883 to November 1885, came into the possession of the NGS in 1960 as a gift from an Edinburgh solicitor. .
"Head of a Peasant Woman" arrived at the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) in 1960. Credit: National Galleries of Scotland
It was probably around 1905, when "Head of a Peasant Woman" was loaned to an exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, that the decision was made to glue the canvas onto cardboard before framing it, according to the press release.
The NGS added that, at the time, "Head of a Peasant Woman" was probably considered more "finished" than Van Gogh's self-portrait.
The painting changed hands several times until it arrived in Scotland in 1951.
The X-ray image will be seen publicly for the first time through a specially crafted light box when it takes center stage in the "A Taste for Impressionism" exhibition from July 30-November 13 at the Royal Scottish Academy, in Edinburgh.
Research is ongoing into how the glue and cardboard can be gently removed without damaging "Head of a Peasant Woman".
Credit: Neil Hanna
It is not the first time that paintings by famous artists have been discovered under other works.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that an intriguing image of a Madonna and Child had been discovered under the paint layers of a $40 million Botticelli painting.
And last year, artificial intelligence, advanced scanning technology and 3D printing were used to uncover a portrait of a crouching nude woman hidden beneath the surface of a Pablo Picasso painting.
Vincent van Gogh