Scientists have discovered a dead grasshopper embedded for over a century in the thick paint of Dutch post-Impressionist Vincent Van Gogh's masterpiece 'Olive Trees'.


The grasshopper was found as part of research for a catalogue of the French painting collection at The Nelson- Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City in the US.


While examining the painting under magnification, Paintings Conservator Mary Schafer discovered the tiny grasshopper embedded in the paint. The insect was found in the lower foreground of the landscape, but cannot be seen by visitors through casual observation.


"It is not unusual to find insects or plant material in a painting that was completed outdoors," Schafer said. "But in this case, we were curious if the grasshopper could be used to identify the particular season in which this work was painted," she said. -- PTI