A Van Gogh painting stolen, recovered and restored, has turned out to have been hiding a secret for over a century.
Restorers discovered that the painting, long known as The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring, actually depicts the garden in winter. The parsonage was the home of Van Gogh’s parents; his father was the local church pastor. The painting was made in 1884, when Van Gogh was 21.
The painting, which belongs to the Groniger Museum, which had lent it to another museum for an exhibit; it was stolen from the other museum.
When it was recovered, it had been damaged, and was displayed for the past two years with the damage showing so the public could see; it has now been returned to display after restoration. The thief is serving a prison term.
