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The descendants of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was stolen by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

Per the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the painting, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their dwelling in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The suit states that the Met, which acquired the artwork in 1956 for $125,000, must have realized it was likely looted property. The family are now demanding the restitution of the artwork along with financial restitution.

Since the end of WWII, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, claims the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from Munich to America in 1936 with their large family due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime declared the masterpiece as German cultural property and prohibited the family from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a representative designated by the authorities disposed of the artwork on the couple's behalf. However, the funds from the auction were placed in a frozen account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Post-War History

In 1948, or not long after, the canvas was brought to New York and was acquired by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was sold through a art dealer to the Met, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a gallery in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a living relative of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action states that the defendants and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and current place from the family.

Currently, the foundation continue to obscure the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the Painting; the couple's ownership of the Painting from several years; and the reality that the Nazis stole the artwork from the Stern family, pressured the couple into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in California in 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The lawsuit argues that the Met's purchase of the piece was authorized by a curator, the Met's authority of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum must have known that the artwork had probably been looted by Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to handle claims from the Nazi period.

A representative commented: Never during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – actually, that knowledge did not become known until several decades after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for disposal – in particular, it was recorded that the piece was considered to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the same type in the inventory. Even though The Met upholds its position that this piece entered the collection and was deaccessioned properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met is open to and will review any further evidence that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to sue and smear the Foundation and the defendants in the United States upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, multiple times. We are certain it will be once more.