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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a the Dutch artist art piece was seized by the Third Reich.

Historical Background

According to the court documents, the Stern couple acquired the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. The following year, they were forced to flee their home in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The legal action states that the museum, which obtained the artwork in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was probably looted property. The descendants are now requesting the repatriation of the painting along with damages.

In the decades since World War II, this plundered piece has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, alleges the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from Munich to the United States in the late 1930s with their large family due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, Nazi authorities designated the painting as German cultural property and prohibited the Sterns from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a agent assigned by the regime auctioned the painting on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the funds from the transaction were held in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or shortly after, the artwork arrived in NYC and was acquired by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to prominent shipowner Basil Goulandris and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise set up the BEG in the late 1970s, which manages a institution in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently on display.

Court Allegations

The institution and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action states that the defendants and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the foundation continue to hide how and when the institution came into ownership of the piece; the family's possession of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Nazis confiscated the artwork from the heirs, coerced the couple into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the funds of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The descendants submitted a similar complaint in California in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in May 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint states that the Met's purchase of the artwork was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the Painting had probably been stolen by the Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to handle Nazi-era claims.

A representative remarked: At no time during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – actually, that information did not become available until many years after the painting left the institution's holdings.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for deaccessioning – namely, it was recorded that the work was judged to be of lower caliber than other works of the same type in the collection. Even though the institution maintains its view that this work entered the holdings and was removed properly and well within all rules and regulations, the institution welcomes and will consider any new information that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron acting for the Goulandris Foundation said: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The attempt to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be a third time.