BackWORLD
Portrait looted by Nazis found in home of Dutch SS leader's descendants
An artwork stolen by the Nazis and tied to the Goudstikker collection has reportedly been found in the home of descendants of Dutch Waffen-SS general Hendrik Seyffardt. The portrait, 'Portrait of a Young Girl' by Toon Kelder, was plundered from Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker in 1940 and later sold at a wartime auction. An art detective says the discovery raises questions about provenance, restitution, and the potential sale of looted art, with legal and ethical implications.
Why It Matters
The case highlights ongoing restitution debates and the legal/ethical complexities surrounding Nazi-looted art and heirs' responsibilities.
Timeline
7 Events
Potential sale and legal status discussed; parallels to other looted-art cases
May 11, 2026
Brand states that the painting could fetch thousands to tens of thousands if sold but notes looted-art sales are generally illegal; statute-of-limitations considerations may apply; the piece is compared to a previous case in Argentina where another Goudstikker painting appeared on a house listing, prompting a police raid in which the painting had been moved.
Descendant informs Brand; Brand launches investigation; back label 92 identified; 1940 auction linked
May 11, 2026
A family member contacts art detective Arthur Brand through an intermediary after learning of the connection to Seyffardt; Brand launches an investigation and identifies a back-label and the number 92, matching the 1940 auction listing for 'Portrait of a Young Girl' by Toon Kelder.
Family admits possession to Dutch media but denies knowledge of origin
May 11, 2026
The family admits possessing the painting but denies knowing its true origin, in a statement to Dutch media.
Grandmother confirms painting was Jewish looted art; unsellable
1946
Seyffardt's grandmother tells a relative that the painting was bought during World War II and is Jewish looted art that is unsellable.
End of World War II name change among Seyffardt family
1946
The family of Hendrik Seyffardt changes their name at the end of World War II.
1940: Auction of Goudstikker looted collection includes 'Portrait of a Young Girl' (92) by Toon Kelder
1940
The painting is believed to have been part of the 1940 auction of Goudstikker's looted collection, listed as item 92 and titled 'Portrait of a Young Girl' by Toon Kelder; it is later sold to Hendrik Seyffardt.
1940: Jacques Goudstikker dies fleeing Nazi invasion; looted art collection exposed
1940
Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish art dealer who owned a collection of more than 1,000 paintings, dies in 1940 while fleeing the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands; his looted collection is implicated in wartime plunder.