“Indiana Jones of the Art World” helps police solve the mysterious mystery of famous paintings that disappeared from the museum in 1974

Dutch police say they have cracked the mysterious disappearance of Bruger’s paintings in Polish museums 50 years ago. Authorities say the case was finally resolved with the help of an art magazine reporter Famous art detective.

Around 1974, during the communist era, Fleming-Dutch master Pieter Brueghel was painted by Fleming-Dutch master Pieter Brueghel about 1626 in the “Women” painted by Fleming-Dutch master Pieter Brueghel about 1626, also known as “Women Moving”, and was painted by Fleming-Dutch master Pieter Brueghel.

Its whereabouts sparked many stories worthy of spy novels and caused many rumors – including the participation of the Polish Secret Service at the time.

The circular painting is only 6.6 inches and is considered to have disappeared forever.

But Richard Bronswijk of the Dutch Police Art Crime Department said the painting is currently locked and critical in a museum in the Netherlands.

“We are 100% sure this is the same painting that disappeared from the Gdansk National Museum in 1974,” Bronswick told AFP.

“Indiana Jones in the Art World”

Arthur brand, A well-known Dutch art detective said the suspected was first raised when a reporter from the Dutch leading art magazine “Vind” discovered the painting at a Dutch exhibition last year.

The painting, known as “not seen in the last 40 years”, was loaned to the Guda Museum from a private collection.

“Magazine contributor John Brozius did some research and stumbled upon an article on the Polish website with old black and white pictures,” Brand told AFP.

“This article is about the burglary in Gdansk in 1974, in which two artworks were stolen: ‘The Crucifixion’, Anthony van Dyck’s sketch and a young painting of Brueghel.”

“Although people at ‘Vind’ are uncertain, it looks similar to the Brueghel on display in Gouda,” Brand said.

This painting depicts a peasant woman holding pliers in one hand, with smoldering embers in the other, and with a piece of water in the other, a reference to an ancient Dutch proverb: “Never believe that a man carries water in one hand and with the other”, or be cautious.

According to the auction house Christie’s, the value of the painting is unknown, but the works of young people are usually sold for millions of dollars.

Brand, nicknamed “Indiana Jones of the Arts” for his high-profile stolen works, was invited to seek help.

“This is a game!”

Brand, together with Dutch police, investigated the painting’s identity, while the painting has been moved to a museum in Venlo, southern Netherlands.

Brand also searched Interpol’s database, which issued a “database alert” for Brueghel’s paintings.

“I came to the conclusion that the painting listed by Interpol and the one on display were the same painting,” he told AFP.

“We’ve checked and rechecked, including the information on the back of the painting. It’s a game!” added Bronswijk.

Brownswick said Dutch police have notified Polish authorities that they are expected to submit a request for legal aid.

Neither the Dutch Museum nor the Polish authorities immediately commented.

The theft was discovered on April 24, 1974, when a museum worker accidentally knocked Bruegel down.

“Instead of the original work of the famous Flemish painter, it is a breeding removed from the frame,” stole Polish art expert Mariusz Pilus wrote in 2019 in “Arts Sherlock.”

A few days after the discovery, Polish customs officials who were reported to have illegal export of art were reported through the Baltic port of Gdynia, and were said to have been killed and killed shortly before the police interview.

Poland reported that investigations into the deaths of customs officials and the disappearance of paintings were closed soon.

Dutch police are now investigating how the painting ends up in a private collection in the Netherlands.

Brand said he hopes Brueghel’s paintings will be back to Gdansk soon, “will be on display in the museum where it belongs.”

Brand achievements include Return to Vincent van Gogh After being stolen for more than three years, he painted to the museum in 2023.

In 2022, he returned to a Roman statue that was stolen from Musee du pays Chatillonnais in 1973. He also restored Salvador Dali’s “adolescent”, a Picasso painting and “Hitler’s Horses”, who once stood in the Berlin province of Nazi leaders.

Art Detective in 2017 tells CBS Morning He is a broker’s deal Together with terrorist groups, the mafia and many dark characters, to track work on the black market.

Brand said: “On the one hand, you have police, insurance companies, collectors, on the other hand, you have criminals, art thieves and forgiveness. So there are two different worlds where they don’t communicate. So I put myself in the middle.”

Aliza Chasan contributed to the report.