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The family members of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was looted by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the lawsuit, the Stern couple purchased the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in the German city of Munich prior to WWII.

The legal action states that the institution, which acquired the painting in 1956 for a significant sum, must have realized it was probably stolen property. The descendants are now seeking the restitution of the canvas along with damages.

In the decades since World War II, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through NYC, alleges the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from their Munich home to California in the late 1930s with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. However, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the regime declared the masterpiece as German cultural property and prohibited the couple from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a regime representative, a representative assigned by the authorities sold the painting on the couple's behalf. However, the proceeds from the auction were held in a frozen account, which the regime later seized.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or shortly after, the canvas was brought to the United States and was acquired by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Eventually, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

The Goulandris pair set up the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a institution in Athens where the painting is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

BEG and a family member of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing claims that the defendants and its related entities have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and location from the family.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from several years; and the truth that the Nazis stole the canvas from the family, coerced the couple into selling it via a regime representative, and seized the money of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

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

The Met's Position

The legal action argues that the Met's purchase of the piece was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert must have known that the artwork had probably been seized by the regime.

The museum issued a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to handle Nazi-era claims.

A representative commented: Not once during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that information did not become known until a long time after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – in particular, it was recorded that the artwork was deemed to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the holdings. While the museum maintains its position that this work entered the inventory and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the Met invites and will examine any new information that comes to light.

BEG's Response

A lawyer representing BEG commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The attempt to litigate and defame the institution and the Goulandris family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, twice. We are convinced it will be once more.