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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against The Met, alleging that a Van Gogh art piece was looted by Nazi forces.

Case History

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the piece, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their residence in the German city of Munich just before World War II.

The complaint contends that the institution, which purchased the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The descendants are now demanding the repatriation of the artwork along with damages.

Following the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through New York, alleges the legal filing.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family departed from Munich to America in 1936 with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were unable to bring the artwork, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities designated the painting as property of the state and banned the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee assigned by the authorities auctioned the piece on the couple's behalf. But, the funds from the auction were held in a blocked account, which the authorities later took.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or soon after, the artwork entered NYC and was acquired by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Eventually, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then sold it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his spouse, Elise, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise established the BEG in 1979, which manages a gallery in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing states that the family and its related entities have covered up the masterpiece's history and location from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to conceal the circumstances the BEG came into ownership of the Painting; the family's possession of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Nazis confiscated the Painting from the heirs, pressured the family into selling it via a regime representative, and took the money of the deal.

Prior Cases

The descendants filed a related lawsuit in the state of California in 2022, but it was dismissed in the following years. An legal challenge was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint states that the Met's purchase of the painting was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been looted by the regime.

The museum responded that it is committed to its ongoing pledge to resolve claims from the Nazi period.

A representative commented: Not once during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – in fact, that information did not become known until many years after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for deaccessioning – specifically, it was noted that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though the museum maintains its position that this work entered the collection and was removed properly and well within all rules and regulations, the institution invites and will examine any additional details that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer acting for BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The effort to take legal action against the institution and the defendants in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, multiple times. We are certain it will be again.