For decades, a painting stolen by the Nazis from a prominent Jewish art collector hung quietly in the home of a notorious Dutch SS collaborator’s family. Now, thanks to the conscience of a descendant and the work of a renowned art detective, the plundered artwork has finally been recovered.
The painting, “Portrait of a Young Girl” by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, belonged to the estate of Jacques Goudstikker. Goudstikker was a highly successful Jewish art dealer who tragically died while fleeing the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, leaving behind a massive collection of more than 1,000 paintings.
A Dark Family Secret
The case was blown open when a man recently discovered his relation to Hendrik Seyffardt, a Dutch general who commanded a Waffen-SS unit of volunteers on the eastern front before being assassinated by resistance fighters in 1943.
Shortly after learning of his dark family history, the descendant approached his grandmother to ask about the Kelder painting that had been in their family for years. Her alleged response revealed a staggering, decades-long cover-up:
“It is Jewish looted art, stolen from Goudstikker. It is unsellable. Don’t tell anyone.”
The family, who changed their surname at the end of World War II to distance themselves from Seyffardt’s legacy, issued a statement to Dutch media admitting possession of the painting but denying knowledge of its true origin. The grandmother herself told the newspaper De Telegraaf: “I received it from my mother. Now that you confront me like this, I understand that Goudstikker’s heirs want the painting back. I didn’t know that.”
However, her grandson felt otherwise. Disgusted by the revelation and feeling a profound sense of shame, he contacted renowned art detective Arthur Brand through an intermediary, believing public exposure was the only way to ensure the artwork’s rightful return.
“I feel ashamed,” the family member told De Telegraaf. “The painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker.”
The Detective’s Trail
Upon learning of the painting’s existence, Brand launched an immediate investigation. The physical evidence on the artwork matched historical records perfectly:
- The Etching: The painting bore a label on the back and the number “92” etched into its frame.
- The Auction Records: Brand searched the archives of a 1940 auction where much of Goudstikker’s looted collection—plundered by high-ranking Nazi official Hermann Goering—was sold. He found an item listed under number 92: Portrait of a Young Girl by Toon Kelder.
- The Heirs’ Confirmation: Lawyers representing Goudstikker’s heirs confirmed the collector owned six paintings by Kelder, all of which were included in that specific 1940 auction.
Brand believes Seyffardt purchased the looted painting at this very auction, after which it was quietly handed down through generations of his descendants.
A Stunning Recovery
Brand described the discovery as “stunning” and “the most bizarre case of my entire career.” While he noted the painting could fetch thousands or even tens of thousands on the open market, selling looted art is illegal in most countries, as the original sales were made under extreme duress.
“I have recovered Nazi-looted art from World War Two before, including pieces in the Louvre, the Dutch Royal Collection, and numerous museums,” Brand said. “But discovering a painting from the famous Goudstikker collection, in the possession of the heirs of a notorious and famous Dutch Waffen-SS general, truly tops everything.”
While Brand noted that the current family bears no personal guilt for Seyffardt’s war crimes, he criticized their decision to harbor the secret. “For decades, the family… had the opportunity to do the right thing and return this painting. They chose not to.”
Fortunately, the story has reached a resolution. Brand recently confirmed that the painting has officially been handed over to his team, paving the way for its eventual return to the Goudstikker estate.
This find echoes a similar incident in which a Nazi-looted Italian masterpiece from the Goudstikker collection was unexpectedly spotted on an Argentine real estate agent’s property listing, proving once again that history’s stolen treasures can surface in the most unlikely of places.
