In a remarkable breakthrough, Dutch authorities have successfully recovered the long-lost masterpiece by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, believed to have vanished from the National Museum in Gdansk, Poland, in 1974.
The painting, titled Woman Carrying the Embers, also known as Woman Moving A Bonfire, disappeared under mysterious circumstances that sparked numerous theories, including speculation about involvement by the Polish secret service.
Richard Bronswijk of the Dutch police's arts crime unit confirmed, "We are 100 percent sure that it's the same painting that disappeared from the National Museum in Gdansk back in 1974." The artwork, measuring just 17 centimeters, was found securely housed in a museum in the Dutch province of Limburg.
The recovery was made possible through the collaborative efforts of an art detective, Arthur Brand, and journalists from Dutch magazine Vind. Last year, a contributor named John Brozius noticed the painting at an exhibition in the Gouda Museum, prompting further investigation.
Brand explained, "A magazine contributor did some research and stumbled upon an article on a Polish website with an old black-and-white picture. Although the people from Vind weren't sure, it looked pretty similar to the Brueghel on display in Gouda."
The painting itself portrays a peasant woman holding tongs with smoldering embers in one hand and a cauldron of water in the other, referencing the old Dutch proverb: "Never believe a person who carries water in one hand and fire in the other," a caution against duplicity.
Polish authorities have also confirmed the recovery, stating, "We are in constant contact with Dutch authorities, including the Dutch police, regarding the case." The return of Woman Carrying the Embers not only resolves a decades-old mystery but also highlights the crucial role of collaborative efforts in art crime investigations.
Reference(s):
Police and art sleuth crack case of Brueghel stolen in Poland in 1974
cgtn.com
