The Unbelievable Saga of a Masterpiece in the World of Organized Crime
On March 30, 2020, at 3:15 AM, a 58-year-old individual used a hammer to break through the double-layered glass doors of the small Singer Laren Museum, located 30 minutes from downtown Amsterdam. Taking advantage of the darkness of the night and the absence of staff and visitors, the perpetrator rushed through the museum's corridors, knocking over objects and breaking doors in his path. He had a clear target in mind: a work by the national genius Vincent Van Gogh.
"The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring" had recently been loaned to the museum for a temporary exhibition by the Groninger Museum, an institution that specializes in promoting Dutch art, design, and history in a futuristic building in the northern part of the country. "The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen," as it is known in English, was painted in May 1884 while Vincent was living with his parents in Nuenen. During this time, Van Gogh was experiencing a period of great creativity, producing many landscape and still-life paintings. The painting depicts the backyard of the parsonage where Van Gogh's parents lived. The garden is filled with flowers, trees, and shrubs, dominated by a large tree in the center. The painting's style is realistic, and Van Gogh uses bright colors to capture the garden's beauty.
The thief swiftly made his way to the room where the valuable painting was displayed. Violently tearing it from the wall, he left the scene within minutes. Carrying the painting under his arm, he fled on a motorcycle, leaving behind shattered glass, surveillance footage capturing the incident, and an empty space on the wall where that irreplaceable piece had hung just minutes earlier.
Economically, the painting is valued at around 16 million euros. Artistically, "The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen" represents a pivotal moment in Van Gogh's career. The painting showcases his growing interest in bright colors and an expressive style, which would become defining features of his later work.
La obra es también un ejemplo de la pintura holandesa del siglo XIX. Representa la tradición realista de la pintura holandesa, pero también muestra la influencia de los movimientos artísticos modernos, como el impresionismo y el post-impresionismo. Sin duda es una pintura importante, aunque no a la altura de las obras que haría Van Gogh durante su período de arte post-impresionista.
While it may not be one of Van Gogh's most famous works, the theft garnered significant media attention and prompted an exhaustive search by authorities and art experts. This case eventually came into the hands of Arthur Brand, a seasoned private detective known as the "Indiana Jones of the art world," renowned for recovering highly valuable works, including the "Hitler's Horses" bronze statues, a Picasso painting, and a ring that once belonged to Oscar Wilde. His reputation for finding long-lost artworks made him the natural choice to investigate the whereabouts of this stolen Van Gogh.
As the years passed, this Van Gogh became a genuine headache for the criminal world. The thief and those involved in the theft faced considerable challenges in selling or profiting from the stolen artwork due to its recognition and notoriety in the art world.
Evidencia de ADN provenientes del marco que quedó en pedazos en el estacionamiento del museo, ayudó a los investigadores holandeses a identificar a Nils M. como el hombre que robó la pintura de Van Gogh. El acusado, quien trabajaba en un taller de reparación de automóviles, no era un ladrón novato de arte. Un registro reveló que previamente había cumplido una condena de cinco años por robar una custodia de plata dorada del siglo XVII de un museo en Gouda en 2012. Durante ese robo, Nils M., a quien se identifica sin su apellido completo debido a las leyes de privacidad holandesas, usó explosivos para volar la puerta. De igual manera este audaz ladrón fue acusado del robo de la pintura de Frans Hals, “Dos niños riendo con una jarra de cerveza”, del siglo XVII, que desapareció en agosto de 2020, de un pequeño museo, el Museo Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden, en Leerdam. Curiosamente, era la tercera vez que esta última pieza había sido robada. Nils M., fue arrestado en abril en su casa en Baarn, una pequeña ciudad cerca de Laren y a la fecha se encuentra sirviendo una condena de 8 años en prisión además de tener una multa de casi 9 millones de Euros por el robo del Frans Hals. Pero aunque el ladrón fue capturado, la obra en sí seguía perdida.
The stolen Van Gogh became a conundrum for the criminal world because, despite its value, its fame and notoriety made it challenging to sell or market on the black market. This deterred potential criminals from dealing with the artwork, as it could lead to legal troubles and difficulties in profiting from it. The notoriety of the theft and the recognition of the artwork by the public and authorities made it a challenging asset to sell or utilize.
Van Gogh robado de una bolsa de Ikea
By the end of September, an anonymous collaborator contacted Arthur Brand and informed him of their ability to return the stolen painting. Brand had to establish a trusting relationship with the individual, who had concerns about potential legal issues arising from the return of the artwork. In a crucial step, Brand worked closely with the Dutch police, who agreed to allow the artwork's return through a predefined process. This agreement ensured that the collaborator would not face legal problems when delivering the painting. The delivery of the artwork took place in secrecy. The collaborator presented themselves at Amstelveld, a small square near the Prinsengracht canal in Amsterdam, and handed over the painting wrapped in a pillowcase inside an IKEA blue bag. The artwork was carefully authenticated by Andreas Blühm, the director of the Groninger Museum, who waited in the corner bar. The authentication confirmed that the stolen Van Gogh was indeed the returned painting. Finally, the artwork was delivered to the authorities for documentation as evidence and, once the process was completed, it was sent to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. There, the artwork is undergoing expert analysis, assessment, and restoration.
Artworks by renowned artists, especially those in good conservation condition, tend to increase in value over the years. However, one of the key advantages of art as an investment is that it is a challenging asset to steal. Valuable artworks are very difficult to sell on the black market, as potential buyers are aware of their value and the difficulty of selling them without detection. This is why thieves often opt to steal easier-to-sell items, such as jewelry or electronic devices.
The case of "The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen" serves as evidence that art is a secure and profitable investment. Artworks are beautiful and unique objects that can provide us with pleasure and satisfaction throughout our lives. Therefore, art is an investment that can offer both economic and aesthetic benefits.
