diff --git a/lib/vips/image.rb b/lib/vips/image.rb
index bae9c37..a985e22 100644
--- a/lib/vips/image.rb
+++ b/lib/vips/image.rb
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ class Image < Vips::Object
     UNKNOWN_POINTER_SIZE = FFI::Pointer.new(1).size
     private_constant :UNKNOWN_POINTER_SIZE
 
+    # Close and free all resources associated with this image.
+    def close
+      Vips.vips_image_invalidate_all(self)
+    end
+
     private
 
     # the layout of the VipsImage struct