In a remarkable turn of events, renowned Dutch art detective Arthur Brand, often referred to as the “Indiana Jones of the art world,” has successfully recovered an additional six stolen paintings, including a valuable portrait of William of Orange and the earliest-known depiction of a 7th-century king. The recovery comes shortly after Brand’s dramatic retrieval of a stolen Van Gogh masterpiece concealed in an Ikea bag.
The six precious artworks, pilfered from the town hall of Medemblik in the northern Netherlands, bear an estimated value of €100,000 (£87,000). Although the monetary worth is modest in comparison to some high-profile art heists, their historical significance is immeasurable. Among the recovered treasures is the earliest known portrait of Radbod, the king of the Frisians from AD 680.
Arthur Brand recounted the unexpected turn of events, stating that he was watching a football match at home when the doorbell rang. To his surprise, a man in a van sought his assistance in unloading the stolen merchandise. The man casually informed Brand that the cargo included the paintings of Medemblik.
Brand believes that his recent success in recovering the stolen Van Gogh painting may have led the thieves to have a change of heart. He had previously quipped that the burglars should have stolen bicycles, as they would have been easier to sell. This seemingly offhand remark and the intense media attention surrounding the Van Gogh’s retrieval might have persuaded the thieves to reconsider their actions and return the stolen artworks.
The art detective expressed gratitude for the decision to return the paintings, highlighting that some thieves opt to destroy the stolen pieces to eliminate evidence when they realize the difficulty in selling them. In this instance, the thieves chose to do the right thing by returning the artworks.
Brand’s recent successes have injected momentum into his quest to recover other missing masterpieces. He now sets his sights on finding “Two Laughing Boys,” a masterpiece by Frans Hals. Additionally, he aims to retrieve works stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, where paintings valued at approximately $500 million, including pieces by Vermeer, Manet, and Rembrandt, were stolen in 1990.
The authorities in Medemblik had offered a €10,000 reward for the safe return of the paintings, a reward that remained unclaimed. In a light-hearted response, Brand stated that he would not be claiming the cash reward and joked, “I told them to give me a good book voucher.”
The recovery of these stolen artworks stands as a testament to Arthur Brand’s unwavering dedication to the art world and his ability to bring precious cultural treasures back to their rightful place. His relentless pursuit of justice in the art world has earned him the well-deserved moniker of the “Indiana Jones of the art world.”