A painting looted by the Nazis from the renowned Goudstikker collection has resurfaced in the home of descendants of a notorious Dutch SS collaborator, according to an art detective.
Discovery of the Painting
The artwork, Portrait of a Young Girl by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, is believed to have hung for decades in the home of Hendrik Seyffardt's family. Arthur Brand, the art detective known as the “Indiana Jones of the art world,” described it as “the most bizarre case of my entire career.”
The case draws parallels to a 2025 global headline when an 18th-century Nazi-looted painting, also from the collection of Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, featured in a property ad in Argentina.
Family Secrets Uncovered
Brand said he was approached by a man who had recently uncovered two disturbing family secrets: he was descended from Seyffardt and his family had displayed looted art for years. The relative, who wished to remain anonymous, told Brand he saw the painting hanging in the hallway of Seyffardt’s granddaughter.
Seyffardt, one of the highest-ranking Dutch Nazi collaborators, commanded a Waffen-SS volunteer unit on the eastern front before being assassinated by resistance fighters in 1943. A Nazi state funeral was held for him in The Hague, with a wreath sent by Adolf Hitler.
Investigation and Evidence
According to Brand, Seyffardt’s granddaughter initially said the painting was “Jewish looted art, stolen from Goudstikker. It is unsellable. Don’t tell anyone.” However, the family member wanted the story public and contacted Brand. He told De Telegraaf: “I feel ashamed. The painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker.”
The family discussed returning the painting, claiming ignorance of its origin. “I received it from my mother. Now that you confront me, I understand Goudstikker’s heirs want it back. I didn’t know that,” a relative said.
Brand’s investigation found a Goudstikker label on the back and “92” carved into the frame. He searched archives of a 1940 auction where part of the looted collection was sold and found item No. 92: Portrait of a Young Girl.
Historical Context
Senior Nazi official Hermann Göring looted Goudstikker’s entire collection when the art dealer fled to England in 1940. Brand surmises Seyffardt acquired the painting at that auction, and it passed down through generations.
Lawyers for the Goudstikker heirs confirmed the artwork was looted and called for its return. The family member who contacted Brand also wants it returned, but police cannot act as the theft is past the statute of limitations. The Dutch Restitutions Committee cannot compel private individuals to return artworks.
“The family member sees public exposure as the only way to return the painting to the Goudstikker heirs, where it rightfully belongs,” Brand said.
Art Detective’s Statement
Brand, who has recovered Nazi-looted art from the Louvre, the Dutch Royal Collection, and numerous museums, said: “Discovering a painting from the famous Goudstikker collection, in the possession of the heirs of a notorious Dutch Waffen-SS general, truly tops everything.”
