Florence, 29 October (AKI) - A hidden self-portrait of Baroque artist Caravaggio was found within one of his masterpieces currently kept at the Uffizi Gallery in the central Italian city of Florence, media reports said on Thursday.

The self-portrait was found by a group of researchers and restorers hidden in one of the artists most renowned work, "Bacchus", painted in the late 16th century.

Bacchus was the Roman god of wine and intoxication and is is known as Dionysus in Greek.

The finding will be presented to the public on Friday in Florence to mark the publication of a book about the artist, entitled "New discoveries about Caravaggio."

The face of Caravaggio was said to have been found inside the wine carafe of the painting by using highly sophisticated technology. The portrait shows a very young Caravaggio standing with a protruding arm. His facial expressions are said to be very detailed, particularly the nose, eyes and collar.

"It appears to be a very young Caravaggio, who is painting with a brush in his hand," said art history and conservation professor Roberta Lapucci, who is also an expert in Caravaggio.

Caravaggio was born in 1571 in the northern Italian city of Milan and died in 1610 in Porto Ercole, Tuscany.