Van Gogh painting stolen six years ago returned to Groningen Museum

Vincent van Gogh's "The Priest's Garden in Nuenen in Spring," stolen from the Singer Laren Museum in 2020, has been returned to the Groningen Museum after restoration. TASS reports this, citing the RTL television channel.

According to the RTL, the painting, which belonged to the Groningen Museum and was on temporary display in Laren, was stolen six years ago on the artist's birthday, March 30. Three years later, it was recovered—under mysterious circumstances, an unknown person "donated the painting to the museum." The culprit was subsequently identified and sentenced to eight years in prison.

While outside the museum, the work was damaged. Immediately upon its return, museum management decided to temporarily display it in its damaged state to demonstrate the consequences of the crime. The painting was later sent for restoration, during which specialists repaired the damage and attempted to restore as closely as possible the artist's original intent.

According to the museum, for the first time in many years, the work is now on display without damage and in a form as close to the original as possible. Furthermore, experts have determined that the painting was originally intended to depict a winter garden, not a spring one. Further discoveries made during the restoration will be announced later. The painting is expected to remain on display at the Groningen Museum for an extended period.