A priceless Van Gogh masterpiece that vanished from a Dutch museum in March 2020 has successfully been retrieved after a relentless pursuit that spanned over three years. Dutch art connoisseur and detective, Arthur Brand, found the painting safeguarded in a pillow and an Ikea bag, handed to him at his house’s doorstep by an unknown individual.
Brand worked in lockstep with Dutch law enforcement, ensuring the man offering the artwork was not connected to the original theft. The criminal mastermind behind the burglary was apparently already apprehended and sentenced to eight years imprisonment early in 2021. However, by that time, the invaluable artwork, believed worth millions of euros, had switched possession.
The stolen piece, ‘The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring,’ was initially purloined from the Dutch community of Laren, positioned south-east of Amsterdam. The thief brutally shattered two glass entrances at the Singer Museum with a sledgehammer in the early days of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The artwork was a loan from a gallery in the north-eastern metropolis of Groningen. The latter rejoiced at their precious property’s retrieval, cheering the ‘wonderful news.’
The crime was attributed to Nils M, a notorious 59-year-old French-born criminal residing not far from Laren. He was found guilty of swiping both the Van Gogh and a Frans Hals painting from a museum in Leerdam, near Utrecht, a few months afterwards. His DNA evidence was discovered at both crime spots.
Police surveillance suggested that Nils M’s crime syndicate planned on leveraging the purloined Van Gogh, painted in 1884 and alternatively referred to as ‘Spring Garden,’ to negotiate shorter prison sentences.
Brand, who had closely cooperated with the Dutch police during the investigation, noted the painting was likely to circulate within the criminal underworld, as its notorious origin deterred legitimate buyers. Finally, a stranger from Amsterdam proposed to return the painting, demanding complete anonymity, as retaining the incriminating artwork had become burdensome.
The mysterious man delivered the painting at his home and secured his anonymity. The director of the Groninger Museum was stationed discreetly at a nearby bar, primed to confirm the painting’s authenticity.
The priceless artwork bore scratches, a consequence of its ordeal, and was covered with blood from when the man had inadvertently slashed his finger while recovering it. Notwithstanding, expert restorers from the Van Gogh Museum apprehended the painting could be fully restored. However, the restoration process could take weeks, if not months, before the painting regains its former glory and goes back on display.
Emotionally scarred by the traumatic experience, the museum’s director has vowed not to lend out any artworks in the future.