There is a celebration at the Dutch Museum in Groningen: Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “The Nynen Parsonage Garden in Spring” has been returned there.
Photo: REUTERS
There is a celebration at the Dutch Museum in Groningen: Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “The Nynen Parsonage Garden in Spring” has been returned there. It was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum (where it was given for display) on the artist’s birthday, March 30, 2020. At the time, the museum was closed due to the coronavirus. In 2021, police arrested a suspect, a 58-year-old man, but the painting itself was not found.
The painting was painted with oil paints on paper in 1884. It represents a man surrounded by trees and in the background you can see the church. “The Parsonage Garden” dates back to the early period of Van Gogh’s work, when he preferred dark colors to bright ones.
It was returned to the museum by Arthur Brand, known as the “Indiana Jones of the art world.” He is an art historian and art consultant, but his true calling is searching for lost and stolen works in museums. In total, he discovered about 200 objects, including paintings by Picasso and Dalí, as well as, for example, a ring that belonged to Oscar Wilde. To carry out searches he had to contact terrorist groups, the mafia and other shady characters; He has already described his adventures in two books.
The canvas was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum (where it was given for display) on the artist’s birthday, March 30, 2020.
Photo: REUTERS
Brand said he received the Van Gogh painting from a man in Amsterdam, which was wrapped in an old pillowcase and placed in a blue plastic IKEA bag. He did not share other details of his investigation.
The painting is currently on display at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. It was reported to have suffered damage, but only slight: “At first glance it appears to be in good condition,” said Groninger museum director Andreas Blum. But it will be weeks, if not months, before the painting goes on public display.
