New van Gogh self-portrait believed to have come to light

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AMSTERDAM, Oct 28 (AFP) - An art historian said Friday she believes she has discovered an early self-portrait of the artist Vincent van Gogh under a painting of a Paris scene.

Aukje Verggeese told AFP the portrait came to light when she used X-rays to see a monument visible under the painted surface as she was attempting to pinpoint the scene of the landscape, which is set in an unidentified Paris park.

"The X-ray photograph showed a three-quarters portrait that resembles many self-portraits of van Gogh," she said.

While the park remains unidentified, the hidden portrait could be significant, since it dates from such an early stage in the artist's career.

In 1886, van Gogh lived for several months in Paris, where the painting was sold.

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