Both painti­ngs were stolen in a daring raid in 2002 by thieve­s using a simple ladder and a length of ropeTHE HAGUE: Two Vincent van Gogh masterpieces stolen 16 years ago from the Amsterdam museum dedicated to his works will go back on display this week after extensive restoration, curators said Tuesday. The 1882 “View of the Sea at Scheveningen” and the 1884/5 “Congregation leaving the Reformed Church at Nuenen will from Wednesday “be back where they belong”, Van Gogh Museum director Axel Rueger said. Animated film brings Van Gogh’s art to lifeThe area is a notorious hotspot for the activities of the Neapolitan mafia, the Camorra. Unpublished Van Gogh drawings to be unveiled“View of the Sea at Scheveningen” was damaged during the heist, with a “substantial bit of paint missing in the left-hand corner”, the Van Gogh museum said. “Congregation leaving the Reformed Church at Nuenen” was barely damaged, but restorers had to remove an ageing and yellowing layer of varnish, probably applied by Van Gogh himself.

Source: The Express Tribune April 16, 2019 15:33 UTC