A Vincent Van Gogh painting that was taken from a small Dutch museum in 2020 during a Covid-19 lockdown has been found, according to the organisation that owns the piece. “We have wonderful news to share. Three and a half years after it was stolen, the artwork “Spring Garden” is back at the Groninger Museum
The painting, which is from 1884, was taken from Amsterdam’s Museum Singer Laren. When the robbery occurred, there were lockdowns all across the world as the COVID-19 epidemic spread. It was on loan for an exhibition. When the robbers entered the museum on March 30 by smashing glass doors, Dutch police published security footage of the incident.
The painting shows the rectory garden in Nuenen, a tiny Dutch hamlet where Vincent Van Gogh’s parents once resided.
The Groninger Museum stated that although the painting had deteriorated, it appeared to be in good condition. The picture is currently housed at the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum, and its repatriation could take weeks or months.
The long-lost masterwork by Vincent van Gogh, “The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring,” which was taken from the Singer Laren Museum in a risky midnight robbery amid the COVID-19 lockdown three and a half years ago, has been found thanks to renowned Dutch art detective Arthur Brand.
After establishing the painting’s authenticity, Brand, who is frequently referred to as the “Indiana Jones of the art world” for his extraordinary capacity to locate and retrieve lost works of art, was overcome with emotion. He described the historic event and said, “One of the greatest moments of my life.”
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Revealing of the stolen treasure
In order to pull off this accomplishment, Brand worked closely with the Richard Bronswijk-led artists’ crime unit of the Dutch police. There is no doubt about that, Bronswijk declared in a statement to the local media.
The valuable painting was finally returned to Brand and the Dutch authorities after years of persistently seeking its return. An unidentified person handed Brand the painting out of fear for their safety while it was carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and tucked inside a pillowcase.
In a video he posted, Brand filmed the moment he revealed the stolen work of art in his living room, his stunned exhalation echoing with the significance of the discovery. He said, “I couldn’t believe it.”
The heist
On March 30, 2020, a robber broke through a glass door at the Singer Laren Museum in the middle of the night and made off with the priceless Van Gogh painting tucked safely under their arm. The risky heist received international notice.
Authorities in the Netherlands detained a man named Nils M in April 2021 for the theft. After being found guilty, he was given an eight-year prison term. He was also accused of stealing
“Two Laughing Boys,” another masterwork by Frans Hals, during a different break-in.
Media reports claim that Brand’s tenacious pursuits led him to a source in the criminal underground who had acquired the thieved Van Gogh. This enigmatic person, subsequently identified as Peter Roy K, was already in prison for a different cocaine trafficking case. K attempted to negotiate a lighter sentence by using the stolen picture as leverage. Brand initially rejected any such agreement because of his unwavering position.
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The unexpected return
But only two weeks ago, an individual unrelated to the initial theft contacted Brand and requested the return of the piece. The thief understood that the stolen Van Gogh had turned out to be more of a liability than an advantage. The brand successfully coordinated the safe recovery of the masterpiece in cooperation with Dutch officials.
Early in Van Gogh’s career, the recovered picture was on loan to the Singer Laren Museum before being returned to the Groninger Museum’s director. Brand is still optimistic that Hals’ “Two Laughing Boys,” which is still missing, will eventually be returned to its proper place in the art world.
