The "Groninger" museum in the Netherlands announced today, Tuesday, that "the police have managed to recover a painting by the late Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, which was stolen from a small museum in the country in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic." The museum stated in a press release: "We have wonderful and great news. The painting 'Spring Garden' has returned to the museum after three and a half years since its theft."
It explained: "The painting has been damaged in some way. But at first glance, it seems to be in good condition," noting that it "is currently located at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and it may take weeks or months before it returns." The statement added: "The police have been closely involved in all stages of the painting's recovery. The museum cannot comment on the ongoing investigation."
The painting, which dates back to 1884, was stolen from the "Singer Laren" museum east of Amsterdam after being loaned to the museum for an exhibition. The theft occurred during lockdowns that lasted for weeks worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the Dutch police released surveillance footage showing the moment thieves broke into the Singer Laren museum on March 30, 2020, smashing glass doors to steal the painting.
