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The descendants of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was looted by the Third Reich.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the lawsuit, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were forced to flee their home in Munich, Germany on the eve of World War II.

The legal action states that the Met, which obtained the artwork in the mid-1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was almost certainly stolen property. The family are now seeking the restitution of the canvas along with financial restitution.

Following the war, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, alleges the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

The Stern family fled from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, Nazi authorities declared the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and prohibited the couple from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a regime representative, a agent designated by the Nazis disposed of the piece on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a frozen account, which the authorities later seized.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or soon after, the painting arrived in NYC and was purchased by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was exchanged through a gallery to the Met, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a institution in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently on display.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a living relative of Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing states that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have covered up the masterpiece's history and location from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the BEG came into control of the piece; the family's possession of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the facts that the regime stole the canvas from the Stern family, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the proceeds of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs submitted a similar complaint in California in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An legal challenge was also denied in recently.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit contends that the museum's acquisition of the piece was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the artwork had likely been seized by Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it prioritizes its longstanding commitment to resolve Nazi-era claims.

An official stated: At no time during the museum's possession of the piece was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the family – indeed, that knowledge did not become available until a long time after the artwork left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – specifically, it was documented that the artwork was deemed to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the same type in the holdings. Although the institution maintains its stance that this piece entered the holdings and was removed properly and well within all rules and regulations, the institution welcomes and will consider any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a renowned institution in Athens. The effort to sue and smear the organization and the family in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.