Arthur Brand saves Spring Garden from the underworld! It is thanks to the investigation of the Central Netherlands Regional Unit and Arthur Brand that The Spring Garden, painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1884, is back in the Groninger Museum. 

Behind the Scenes

Just in time for the Groninger Museum 150 years ‘behind the scenes’ exhibition, where a room has been set up about the history of Spring Garden , including the theft, the rescue by Arthur and the subsequent condition investigation by myself Marjan de Visser.

During the press meeting on Thursday, March 28, those present will hear how exciting the transfer of The Spring Garden has been, yes Arthur Brandt saves Spring Garden in a spectacular way!

Arthur Brandt on the left, with the director of the Groninger Museum Andreas Blühm on the right.

Still no reduction in sentence

But it is still ‘Arthur Brand saves Spring Garden‘ in which he sends a clear signal to the underworld that in the Netherlands it is no longer possible to get a reduced sentence if you ‘hand in’ a painting of national importance. It is now even partly due to Arthur that owning or having touched a stolen painting actually costs the thief or healer money! And if they don’t have that, even an increase in penalty. It is desirable that this not only applies to the Netherlands, but to all countries.

IKEA bag

The Spring Garden was handed over to Arthur Brand in an IKEA bag in September 2023. One of those big blue ones with yellow IKEA in the handle. Inside was a pillow with the small painting underneath.

Both the painting and the bag are part of the exhibition. The real IKEA bag is included as an important object in the collection. In honor of the return, IKEA had a mini bag made containing a mini Spring Garden! The painting was nicknamed “the IKEA Van Gogh”.

Reunion

Later in the day there will be a reunion with everyone involved in locating and securing Spring Garden : the detectives, damage experts, insurance agents, Van Gogh Museum curator and museum employees, and myself.