🔗 Share this article

The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Nazis.

Historical Background

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. A year after, they were forced to flee their home in the German city of Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The suit contends that the museum, which purchased the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was probably looted property. The heirs are now seeking the return of the artwork along with compensation.

Since the end of the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through NYC, states the legal filing.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from the city of Munich to America in 1936 with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the painting as German cultural property and prohibited the family from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee appointed by the regime disposed of the artwork on the couple's behalf. Yet, the funds from the transaction were placed in a restricted account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or shortly after, the painting entered NYC and was bought by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was sold through a gallery to the Met, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his spouse, Elise, in 1972.

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

Court Allegations

The institution and a family member of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit states that the defendants and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the family.

Even now, the foundation continue to obscure how and when the BEG came into control of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the artwork from several years; and the facts that the regime looted the canvas from the family, coerced the Sterns into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the funds of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs initiated a comparable case in CA in the year 2022, but it was rejected in the following years. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The complaint states that the museum's acquisition of the painting was approved by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been seized by the regime.

The museum responded that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to resolve Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson commented: Never during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the family – indeed, that knowledge did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – namely, it was noted that the artwork was judged to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the collection. Although The Met maintains its position that this piece entered the holdings and was deaccessioned properly and well within all standards and procedures, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation said: The institution is a renowned institution in Greece. The effort to sue and smear the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, multiple times. We are convinced it will be a third time.