Rome - A Italian state-television presenter says he has discovered in one of Leonardo Da Vinci's notebooks a tiny sketch that could be a self-portrait of the Italian Renaissance master.

The presenter, Piero Angela, is set to unveil his find on the RAI television science program Ulisse scheduled for broadcast late on Saturday.

Angela writing on RAI's internet site, said initially only a nose was visible from under heavy scribbling on a page of the notebook, which contains a study by Leonardo on the flight of birds.

But RAI's graphics experts had managed to isolate the image, revealing a drawing of a young man, with long hair and a slight beard.

Angela said he asked a Rome plastic surgeon who specializes in facial reconstruction, to compare a known self-portrait of Leonardo depicted as an old man, with the drawing of the young man.

The surgeon concluded there were similarities, as did Italian police who prepare drawings of suspects, the TV journalist said.

The original drawing is contained in the so-called Codex on the flight of birds, which is kept in Turin's Royal Library.