The family members of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Van Gogh oil painting was looted by Nazi forces.
Historical Background
Per the legal filing, the Stern couple acquired the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich prior to World War II.
The suit contends that the museum, which acquired the artwork in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, must have realized it was probably stolen property. The family are now demanding the restitution of the canvas along with financial restitution.
Since the end of World War II, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through NYC, states the legal filing.
Forced Emigration
The Stern family escaped from Munich to the United States in 1936 with their six children due to Nazi persecution. However, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was painted by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.
Before they left, Nazi authorities declared the masterpiece as German cultural property and banned the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a trustee appointed by the Nazis auctioned the painting on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a frozen account, which the Nazis later confiscated.
Later Transactions
Around 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered NYC and was bought by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Later, it was sold through a art dealer to the Met, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.
The Goulandris pair set up the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a museum in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.
Legal Arguments
BEG and a surviving nephew of the magnate are named as defendants. The lawsuit states that the defendants and its related entities have hidden and obscured the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the heirs.
Even now, the foundation continue to conceal the manner and time the BEG came into ownership of the piece; the Stern family's ownership of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Third Reich stole the artwork from the family, pressured the couple into parting with it via a trustee, and took the money of the sale.
Previous Legal Action
The Stern heirs initiated a similar complaint in California in 2022, but it was rejected in the following years. An legal challenge was also rejected in spring 2025.
Institution's Statement
The lawsuit argues that the Met's purchase of the artwork was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the masterpiece had probably been looted by Nazis.
The institution said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to address issues related to WWII.
A spokesperson commented: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the heirs – actually, that data did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.
The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – specifically, it was noted that the piece was judged to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though the museum respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the collection and was removed properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum is open to and will review any new information that comes to light.
BEG's Response
William Charron representing the foundation stated: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in Athens. The effort to take legal action against the organization and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be a third time.
