A couple renovating their house in Ghent has found a painting behind one of the walls that appears to be a self-portrait of the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh.
The couple, Hannes and Lore, bought their house in 2008. When this became too small for their growing family, they subsequently bought their neighbour's house and are now in the process of renovating both houses into one big home.
While breaking down a wall on the first floor, a friend of the couple found the painting behind it – painted directly on the plaster, hidden behind insulation and drywall.
"I recognised Van Gogh immediately. We contacted the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, but we got no response," Lore told VRT. Only authorised art dealers can request an analysis.
Sloppy technique
They found an expert to look at some photos but this failed to clarify the painting's pedigree. The fact that the plasterwork is old has given them some hope that the painting is a real Van Gogh, however the style is rather different to the celebrated artist's.
The neighbourhood where they live was built between 1875 and 1890. A letter Van Gogh sent to his brother Theo in 1885 indicates that he passed through Ghent, at least briefly. On 26 June 1885, he left Paris for the Netherlands, arriving there three days later. During that trip, he made stops in Lille, Ghent and Antwerp. Where exactly he stayed is unknown.
While the technique seems a bit messy for Van Gogh, the painter did make preliminary studies for some paintings, sometimes years in advance – often roughly. This has fed hopes that this might be a genuine Van Gogh.
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Ghent University is eager to analyse the artwork, with Peter Vandenabeele of the Department of Archaeology saying that the pigments could help date the work.
Hannes and Lore briefly wondered if the painting was made by the neighbour who previously lived in the house, as she was an artistic woman. However she is no longer alive to ask. Her son has told VRT that the painting was already there in 1933, when his mother bought the house.
"We just want to know the truth," the couple said. "Until there is clarity, we choose to believe it is a real Van Gogh."
Update: Analysis has shown that the painting is not real. More info can be found here.
