STOLEN PAINTINGS DELIVERED TO ART DETECTIVE’S FRONT PORCH

Six paintings stolen from an old town hall in the small coastal town of Medemblik in north Holland have been recovered. Arthur Brand, an art detective (* “Art Brand’s my name, art’s my brand.”) famous for recovering a stolen Van Gogh painting last month, as well as a Picasso painting, was watching a soccer game on TV at home on Friday October 13 when his doorbell rang. It was a delivery man with several packages, which turned out to be the stolen paintings. The delivery man was uninvolved with the theft. The six paintings together are worth around $100,000. They include a portrait of ancient ruler King Radboud (* King Radboud! He’s one of my favorites!) and portraits of Prince William of Orange, Maurits of Orange, Count Jan van Nassau, Queen Wilhelmina and a scene from the Bible. Brand said he would not claim the reward.
* They’re no “Dogs Playing Poker,” but I’m sure they’re nice.
* Maybe the town of Medemblik can use the reward money for, I don’t know, an anti-theft system?
* A note with the paintings said, “Sorry, my mistake. Don’t really go with the color of my walls.”
* Not much of an art detective if he just sits around waiting for stolen paintings to show up on his front porch.