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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against The Met, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was looted by the Third Reich.

Historical Background

Per the court documents, the Stern couple purchased the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. A year after, they were forced to flee their residence in the German city of Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The suit states that the museum, which purchased the masterpiece in 1956 for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly looted property. The descendants are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with financial restitution.

Following the war, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, states the legal filing.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from the city of Munich to America in the late 1930s with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. However, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities classified the painting as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from exporting it. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a agent assigned by the regime disposed of the artwork on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the transaction were placed in a restricted account, which the Nazis later seized.

Post-War History

In 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to NYC and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the museum, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

The Goulandris pair set up the BEG in the late 1970s, which manages a gallery in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a living relative of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The filing claims that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the painting's ownership and location from the family.

Even now, the defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the foundation came into ownership of the piece; the couple's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the Third Reich confiscated the canvas from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the proceeds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants initiated a comparable case in the state of California in 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An further action was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit states that the museum's acquisition of the painting was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of Old Masters and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum were aware or ought to have been aware that the Painting had likely been seized by the Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to resolve Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson remarked: Never during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – in fact, that knowledge did not become accessible until several decades after the painting left the institution's holdings.

The Met's sale of Olive Picking met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – specifically, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the same type in the inventory. Although The Met upholds its stance that this piece entered the holdings and was sold lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum welcomes and will consider any additional details that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

A lawyer acting for BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to sue and smear the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.