A Dutch detective specializing in art has recovered a painting by Vincent van Gogh that was stolen from a museum three years ago during the pandemic measures, police confirmed on Tuesday.
Arthur Brand recovered the missing 1884 painting “The Parish Garden of Nuenem” “in collaboration with the Dutch police,” according to the country’s security forces, which are responsible for investigating crimes related to the artworks.
“It is without a doubt the truth (image). There is no doubt,” Richard Bronswijk, a member of the special forces, told AFP.
The detective took possession of the work on Monday at his home in Amsterdam. The painting, valued at three to six million euros ($3.2 to $6.4 million, 15.7 to 31.5 million reais), was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum on March 30, 2020.
Brand, dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the art world” for finding a number of famous missing works, said frequent appeals, as well as requests from Dutch police for the painting’s return, had borne fruit.
A man, whose identity was not released, handed the painting to the detective in a blue IKEA bag, covered with bubble wrap and protected by a pillowcase.
A video released by the detective shows his emotions looking at the painting after unpacking the package in his living room.
“Confirming that it was the stolen Van Gogh was one of the greatest moments of my life,” Brand said.