Art detective Arthur Brand successfully located the painting “Portrait of a Young Girl” by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, which had been pilfered by the Nazis back in 1940, as reported by The Guardian.
It turned out that throughout all these decades, the canvas had been held by the family of SS General Hendrik Seijffardt’s descendants. Seijffardt was the commander of Dutch volunteers and personally participated in the looting of art collections.
Originally, the artwork belonged to the renowned collection of the Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker. This collection was seized personally by Hermann Göring following the occupation of the Netherlands.
Brand was led to the trail of the Nazi trophy by one of Seijffardt’s descendants. Having recognized the illicit origins of the canvas, this relative insisted on its return to the rightful owners.
The journalist examined auction catalogs from 1940 and determined that the portrait was listed as item number 92 and had been acquired by the SS General himself. Notably, Seijffardt’s granddaughter, on whose wall the painting hung, was completely unaware of the dark history embedded in her inheritance.
Currently, Goudstikker’s relatives are initiating the restitution process to reclaim the canvas for the family. The Guardian relays news of this recovery. Thus, after many decades, justice is beginning to prevail.
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