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The descendants of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a Van Gogh art piece was stolen by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the piece, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich just before WWII.

The complaint argues that the Met, which acquired the artwork in the mid-1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was likely looted property. The descendants are now demanding the return of the painting along with damages.

Since the end of the war, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through New York, alleges the legal filing.

Forced Emigration

The Sterns fled from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the artwork, which was painted by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the regime designated the masterpiece as German cultural property and prohibited the couple from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a agent designated by the regime sold the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. But, the funds from the sale were placed in a frozen account, which the regime later took.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or soon after, the canvas was brought to the United States and was acquired by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his wife, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple established the BEG in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The lawsuit states that the defendants and its related entities have hidden and obscured the artwork's provenance and current place from the heirs.

Currently, the foundation continue to conceal how and when the BEG came into control of the piece; the family's possession of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the Third Reich stole the Painting from the heirs, forced the couple into disposing of it via a regime representative, and seized the proceeds of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The descendants initiated a similar complaint in CA in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The complaint argues that the Met's purchase of the painting was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of European art and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert must have known that the masterpiece had probably been seized by the Nazis.

The museum responded that it takes seriously its historical dedication to resolve issues related to WWII.

An official remarked: Not once during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the heirs – indeed, that information did not become available until a long time after the painting left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – in particular, it was documented that the work was considered to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the holdings. While the institution upholds its view that this work entered the holdings and was deaccessioned properly and well within all rules and regulations, the Met is open to and will review any further evidence that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron acting for the foundation stated: BEG is a renowned institution in Athens. The attempt to litigate and defame the institution and the Goulandris family in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was earlier rejected, twice. We are convinced it will be once more.