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What is the history of painting?
We humans started painting in caves and used only our fingers or tree branches to paint for many years.
These paintings are called cave paintings, and some of them are more than 45,000 years old! But modern paintings are not like cave paintings; they are made using tools like [[canvases::Something that can be painted]] and paintbrushes.
Many great painters of the past have created beautiful paintings. But, only a few could create paintings like Vincent van Gogh.
Who was Van Gogh and what makes him so great?
Born in The Netherlands in 1853, Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the greatest painters ever. He created many famous and wonderful paintings, such as The Starry Night, Sunflowers, The Church at Auvers, and [[self-portraits::A picture or a photograph that a person makes of themself.]], among many other works.
What makes Van Gogh’s paintings so special?
Sadly, Van Gogh never became famous while he was alive. It was only after his death that he and his paintings became famous.
He was never able to sell his works when alive and was poor most of his life. However, that did not stop him from making the most wonderful paintings ever, which is why his paintings are so special.
Recently, experts in Scotland found another one of his beautiful works.
What is the newly discovered self-portrait of Van Gogh?
Usually, a single canvas is only used for one painting. But, since van Gogh was poor, he sometimes used a single canvas twice. A new self-portrait of Van Gogh was discovered on the back of one of his other paintings, known as the Head of a [[Peasant::A word used to describe a poor farmer. This word was used in the past and is no longer used in modern times.]] Woman.
How did the experts discover the new self-portrait?
The experts X-rayed The Head of a Peasant Woman and found that there was a self-portrait made by Van Gogh on the back of the painting. The self-portrait was covered in layers of glue and cardboard. Unfortunately, only the X-rayed image of the self-portrait is available.
But researchers may find ways to get the original self-portrait without damaging the Head of a Peasant Woman.
Is it possible to see other works of Van Gogh?
Yes - you can visit the website of the Van Gogh Museum (vangoghmuseum.nl) and see all his amazing paintings!
Quick Revision
Early Painting: Humans began painting in caves using fingers or branches — some over 45,000 years old.
Van Gogh: Born in 1853 in The Netherlands, he created famous works like The Starry Night and Sunflowers.
His Fame: Van Gogh was poor and unknown while alive but became world-famous after his death.
New Discovery: An X-ray of “Head of a Peasant Woman” revealed a hidden self-portrait of Van Gogh on the back of the canvas.
