Nazi-looted portrait found in home of Dutch SS leader’s family, art sleuth says
An artwork plundered by the Nazis from the world-famous Goudstikker collection has surfaced in the family of a notorious SS collaborator in the Netherlands, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand tells AFP.
“Portrait of a Young Girl,” by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, had likely been hanging for decades in the home of descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt, Brand said, describing it as “the most bizarre case of my entire career.”
The case has drawn parallels to a find that made global headlines in 2025, when an 18th-century Nazi-looted painting — also from the collection of late Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker — featured in a property ad in Argentina.
In the Dutch case, Brand says he was approached by a man who recently uncovered two horrifying secrets: he is a descendant of Seyffardt, and his family has displayed the looted art for years.
This family member, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Brand he saw the painting hanging in the hallway of the granddaughter of Seyffardt, who was assassinated by Dutch resistance fighters in 1943.
The family member tells the De Telegraaf daily: “I feel ashamed. The painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker.”
Seyffardt, one of the highest-ranking Dutch collaborators with the Nazis, commanded a Waffen-SS unit of Dutch volunteers on the Eastern Front.
According to Brand, Seyffardt’s granddaughter told the family member the painting was “Jewish looted art, stolen from Goudstikker. It is unsellable. Don’t tell anyone.”
The granddaughter, quoted by the Dutch daily, says the family is discussing whether the painting should be returned to the Goudstikker heirs, and denies knowing it was looted.
“I received it from my mother. Now that you confront me like this, I understand that Goudstikker’s heirs want the painting back. I didn’t know that,” she is quoted as saying.
Top Nazi official Hermann Goering plundered Goudstikker’s entire collection when the art dealer fled to England in 1940.
Lawyers for the Goudstikker heirs confirmed to Brand that this painting was looted and are calling for its return.
The family member who contacted Brand also wants the painting returned to the Goudstikker heirs, but the police are powerless as the theft has passed the statute of limitations. The Dutch Restitution Committee, which advises on looted Nazi art, is also hamstrung as it cannot compel private individuals to return artworks.