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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Culture & Society

Nazi-Plundered Art Found in Netherlands Home of SS Collaborator's Descendants

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Nazi-plundered artwork, "Portrait of a Young Girl," has been discovered in the Netherlands within the family of an SS collaborator.
  • Art detective Arthur Brand identified the painting, which had been displayed for decades by descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt.
  • The painting, confirmed as looted from the Goudstikker collection, is now subject to a return claim by the heirs.

In a case that reads like a historical thriller, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand has once again brought a significant piece of Nazi-looted art to light. The painting, "Portrait of a Young Girl" by Toon Kelder, was found not in a hidden vault, but hanging in the hallway of the granddaughter of Hendrik Seyffardt, a prominent Dutch SS collaborator.

the most bizarre case of my entire career

· Arthur BrandDescribing the discovery of the Nazi-plundered artwork within the family of an SS collaborator.

Brand's investigation, prompted by a family member who felt ashamed of the painting's provenance, revealed that the artwork was part of the vast Goudstikker collection, plundered by Hermann Goering. The painting had apparently been acquired by Seyffardt at a 1940 auction and passed down through generations, with Seyffardt's granddaughter acknowledging it was "Jewish looted art" but claiming ignorance of its specific origins.

Jewish looted art, stolen from Goudstikker. It is unsellable. Don't tell anyone.

· Seyffardt's granddaughterAdmitting the painting's provenance to a family member.

This discovery echoes a similar high-profile case in 2025 involving another Nazi-looted painting from the Goudstikker collection found via an Argentinian property advertisement. The current case highlights the enduring legacy of Nazi art theft and the complex, often deeply personal, journeys these stolen works take. The Goudstikker heirs have confirmed the painting was looted and are seeking its return, a quest that Brand's involvement has now brought to the public eye, adding another chapter to the ongoing restitution efforts for art stolen during the Nazi era.

I feel ashamed. The painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker.

· Family memberExpressing remorse and desire for the painting's return.
About this summary

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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