New Van Gogh drawing discovered at Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

A previously unknown drawing by Vincent van Gogh has been identified at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The work is a preliminary study for his 1882 piece "Worn Out" (also known as "Consumato"). The anonymous owner submitted the drawing to the museum for authentication. Teio Meedendorp, a researcher at the museum, confirmed its authenticity based on stylistic and material analysis. Stylistically, the drawing matches Van Gogh's figure studies from his time in The Hague, and the connection to "Worn Out" is evident. The artist began by drawing a grid on the paper, indicating he used a perspective frame to capture proportions quickly. He then drew in his typical expressive style with energetic scratches and strokes, focusing on light and shadow. Materially, the drawing features a thick carpenter's pencil, rough watercolor paper, and a fixative of water and milk. Damage on the back corners matches Van Gogh's habit of attaching sheets to his drawing board with starch balls. The study depicts an elderly man hunched in despair, reflecting Van Gogh's sensitivity to disadvantaged subjects. He drew the figure over forty times. The drawing will be on display on the first floor of the permanent collection at the Van Gogh Museum from September 18, 2021, to January 2, 2022, alongside other works from the same period, including "Worn Out."