Dutch art detective recovers stolen Van Gogh painting

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Websites
12 Sep 2023 19:29

A Dutch investigator, dubbed "Indiana Jones of the art world," tracks lost artwork taken from a museum near Amsterdam during a Covid lockdown.

Arthur Brand poses with Vincent van Gogh's The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring. (AFP)

According to authorities, a Dutch art detective has found a valuable Vincent van Gogh painting that was taken from a museum in a nighttime theft three and a half years ago during the coronavirus lockdown.

Arthur Brand received the lost artwork, The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring, created in 1884 and valued at €3m - €6m (£2.6m-£5.2m), tucked in a blue Ikea bag, at his Amsterdam home on Monday.

Brand, dubbed the "Indiana Jones of the art world" for his efforts in locating a number of high-profile missing artworks, told AFP that establishing the painting was the stolen Van Gogh was "one of the greatest moments of my life."

He rose to prominence for his amazing recovery of stolen art, including the "Hitler's Horses" bronze sculptures, a Picasso picture, and an Oscar Wilde ring.

Richard Bronswijk, of the Dutch police arts crime unit, confirmed that Arthur Brand "has solved this matter," detailing that the work of art was "definitely the real one, there's no doubt about it."

Painting delivered in blue Ikea bag

Brand told AFP that repeated requests from him and the Dutch police for the return of the stolen artwork were eventually answered when a guy, whose name was not revealed for his own protection, delivered Brand the painting in a blue Ikea bag.

The painting was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum near Amsterdam on March 30, 2020, in a crime that garnered international attention.

At the time, authorities apprehended a guy called Nils M in April 2021. He was eventually found guilty and sentenced to eight years in prison. He was also convicted of stealing another Frans Hals masterwork, Two Laughing Boys, in a separate burglary.

“After a few months, I heard from a source in the criminal world who had bought the Van Gogh,” Brand explained.

The man was identified by Dutch media as Peter Roy K and was jailed in another case involving cocaine trafficking.

K allegedly wanted to use the work of art to negotiate his prison sentence.

The Van Gogh, on the other hand, remained a mystery until two weeks ago, when a guy called Brand expressed he wanted to return it. The man was unrelated to the theft, according to Brand, and he was persuaded to return the artwork.

“In an operation done in close coordination with the Dutch police, we got the painting back,” Brand remarked.

Stolen artwork from British Museum worth thousands sold on Ebay

According to The Telegraph, in late August, at least one stolen piece from the British Museum worth up to $63,800 was offered for sale on eBay for as low as $51.

Some of the stolen items have been posted on eBay since 2016, according to The Telegraph, and experts warned the British Museum three years ago that a staff member may be stealing items from its collection.

According to Museum employees and experts in the recovery of stolen items, museum thefts are usually an inside job and are fairly common.

An anonymous employee at a famous London museum called the business "institutionally corrupt," adding that the snatching of some items is considered "Fair game."

According to the worker, "cherished items donated to the museum are sometimes secretly sold off or given to auction houses.