Two black-and-white drawings have been identified as works of Vincent van Gogh.
The 1886 sketches depict Montmartre hill in Paris and are now on display at a museum in the Netherlands.
One of the pieces, described by experts as a ‘stylistic missing link’ for the Dutch artist, has spent the past century in a private collection.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam confirmed on Tuesday that The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry’ (pictured), which is owned by the Van Vlissingen Art Foundation, is a van Gogh work. The sketch is now on display for the first time in 100 years
Experts at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam analysed the style, technique, subject and materials used on the drawings, and also studied their history.
The museum confirmed this week that ‘The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry,’ which is owned by the private Van Vlissingen Art Foundation, is a van Gogh work.
The painter sketched it in 1886 while living in Antwerp and Paris, where he worked at the studio of French historical painter Fernand Cormon.
Based on the museum’s research, a similar drawing in the Van Gogh Museum’s own collection has also been confirmed as an original by the Dutch artist.
Both sketches are part of an exhibition titled ‘Impressionism & Beyond. A Wonderful Journey,’ at the Singer Laren Museum near Amsterdam.
‘The two drawings are clearly from the same hand and stylistically, are reminiscent of van Gogh’s model drawings from early 1886, which he initially created in Antwerp and subsequently in Paris, in [French painter Fernand] Cormon’s studio,’ said Teio Meedendorp, senior researcher at the Van Gogh Museum.
‘The materials used are also identical and the subjects can be linked to paintings created by van Gogh on Montmartre in spring and early summer.’
This drawing, titled The Hill of Montmartre (1886), is housed at the Van Gogh Museum and shares an unmistakable connection to the newly-discovered van Gogh drawing in terms of subject, size, style, technique and materials
Mr Meedendorp said the rare find is more aligned with Van Gogh’s earlier formal style, which he developed at the art academy in Antwerp.
After moving to Paris, the artist work became more experimental.
Experts discovered found that ‘The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry’ was once part of a collection shared by Vincent and his brother Theo.
‘It is fantastic news that two drawings can now definitively be added to van Gogh’s oeuvre,’ said Van Gogh Museum Director Axel Rüger.
Van Gogh, one of the history’s most famous artist’s died in 1890 aged 37 after shooting himself in the chest with a revolver. Pictured is a van Gogh self-portrait titled ‘yours, Vincent’
While best known for his vibrant oil paintings, there are more than 900 drawings and five sketchbooks confirmed as works of Van Gogh.
The Van Gogh Museum holds around 500 drawings and the sketchbooks.
Prior to the newly identified Montmarte drawings, the last work identified as a van Gogh was ‘Roman Youth (after Bargue after Bonnat).’
The 1880 pencil drawing was discovered in 2012.
Van Gogh, one of the history’s most famous artist’s died in 1890 aged 37 after shooting himself in the chest with a revolver.
Experts discovered found that ‘The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry’ was once part of a collection shared by Vincent and his brother Theo. Pictured in the background of this photo is Paris’ Montmartre Hill today