Van Gogh painting stolen from Dutch museum in 2020 recovered

A Vincent van Gogh painting stolen from a Dutch museum in March 2020 was returned with a little damage but apparently "still in good condition," the Netherlands' said on Tuesday.

Van Gogh's 1884 oil on panel work "Spring Garden," valued at several million euros, was stolen in 2020 from the Singer Laren Museum outside Amsterdam, where it was on loan for an exhibition from the Groninger Museum.

"The painting has suffered, but is – at first glance – still in good condition," the Groninger Museum said in a statement. "It will be scientifically investigated in the coming months."

The work was returned to the art detective Arthur Brand, who was involved in the investigation in collaboration with Dutch Police.

"The Groninger Museum is extremely happy and relieved that the work is back," said museum director Andreas Blühm. "We are very grateful to everyone who contributed to this good outcome. Arthur Brand played a key role in this case and the museum greatly appreciates that."

"So here it is," Brand said in a video posted on Instagram, while holding the painting in his hands.

"We have searched for it for more than three and a half years, but finally it's here," he said. "It's back and I'm going to hand it over in a couple of minutes to the museum director and, afterwards, I'm going to have a drink with all the police officers who were involved in recovering this beautiful piece by Vincent van Gogh."

British broadcaster BBC cited Brand as saying that the painting was delivered in a pillow covered with blood and an bag by a man who came to his front door.

"I did this in complete co-ordination with Dutch police and we knew this guy wasn't involved in the theft," the BBC cited Brand as saying.

In 2021, a suspect was arrested and jailed for eight years over the theft.