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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was looted by the Nazis.

Case History

According to the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in 1935. The following year, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich, Germany just before the Second World War.

The legal action argues that the institution, which acquired the artwork in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was almost certainly looted property. The heirs are now seeking the restitution of the canvas along with compensation.

Since the end of the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, claims the court document.

Family's Flight

The Stern family departed from their Munich home to America in the late 1930s with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and forbade the family from bringing it with them. Once approved from a regime representative, a trustee appointed by the regime sold the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. But, the money from the sale were deposited in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or not long after, the canvas entered NYC and was acquired by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a museum in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a surviving nephew of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action claims that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and current place from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to obscure the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the regime looted the artwork from the heirs, forced the Sterns into selling it via a trustee, and seized the proceeds of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family initiated a related lawsuit in CA in the year 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The lawsuit states that the institution's buying of the painting was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had almost certainly been seized by Nazis.

The museum issued a statement that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to handle claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: Never during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the family – in fact, that knowledge did not become accessible until many years after the masterpiece left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – namely, it was documented that the piece was considered to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the same type in the holdings. Even though the institution respectfully stands by its view that this work entered the inventory and was sold legally and well within all standards and procedures, the Met welcomes and will consider any new information that comes to light.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel on behalf of BEG said: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in Athens. The effort to litigate and defame the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, twice. We are confident it will be again.