🔗 Share this article

The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was seized by Nazi forces.

Case History

As stated in the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their dwelling in the German city of Munich on the eve of WWII.

The legal action states that the institution, which acquired the artwork in the 1950s for $125,000, must have realized it was likely looted property. The heirs are now seeking the repatriation of the canvas along with compensation.

Since the end of WWII, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through New York, states the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from their Munich home to America in 1936 with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, Nazi authorities classified the painting as German cultural property and forbade the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee designated by the Nazis sold the painting on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the sale were held in a blocked account, which the regime later confiscated.

Post-War History

In 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to New York and was purchased by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which runs a museum in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Court Allegations

BEG and a family member of the magnate are identified in the suit. The lawsuit alleges that the family and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the foundation continue to obscure the manner and time the BEG came into possession of the piece; the Stern family's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the regime looted the Painting from the heirs, coerced the couple into disposing of it via a regime representative, and confiscated the money of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family filed a similar complaint in California in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The complaint argues that the institution's buying of the piece was approved by a curator, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met must have known that the Painting had almost certainly been seized by Nazis.

The museum said in a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to resolve Nazi-era claims.

A representative commented: At no time during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any documentation that it had earlier been possessed to the family – indeed, that data did not become accessible until several decades after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The Met's sale of Olive Picking met the museum's strict criteria for deaccessioning – in particular, it was recorded that the piece was judged to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the comparable nature in the inventory. While the institution maintains its position that this artwork entered the inventory and was deaccessioned legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum is open to and will review any further evidence that comes to light.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel acting for the Goulandris Foundation said: The institution is a renowned institution in Athens. The attempt to sue and smear the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are certain it will be again.