Dutch artwork stolen by Nazis believed to have been spotted on estate agent’s website

An estate agent’s advert for the property showed what appeared to be the grand artwork hanging on the wall above a sofa.

The well-appointed villa was reportedly being sold by the daughter of Kadgien – who has denied any knowledge of the artwork.

Speaking to AD she said: “I don’t know what information you want from me, and I don’t know what painting you’re talking about either.”

Annelies Kool and Perry Schrier of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE), experts in analysing art, have reviewed the painting and said: “There is no reason to think of why this could be a copy.

“The dimensions also seem to correspond to the information we have. Final confirmation can come by looking at the back of the painting, there may still be marks or labels that confirm the origin.”

Gouldstikker died in 1940 when he fell through a hole in a boat that he had taken to flee the Netherlands. On him was a small black book that listed his collection, something which was found and later used as a guideline to track down what was stolen.

He had one son, Edo, who died in 1996. Edo’s wife, Marei von Saher, 81, is unwavering in her commitment to bringing the stolen art home.

“My search for the artworks owned by my father-in-law Jacques Goudstikker started at the end of the 90s and I won’t give up,” she told AD. “My family aims to bring back every single artwork robbed from Jacques’ collection and restore his legacy.”