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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a Van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Third Reich.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. A year after, they were obliged to escape their home in the German city of Munich prior to the Second World War.

The suit contends that the institution, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was likely confiscated property. The family are now requesting the restitution of the artwork along with compensation.

In the decades since the war, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, bought and sold in and through NYC, states the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from Munich to California in the late 1930s with their six children due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the artwork as German cultural property and banned the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a agent designated by the authorities disposed of the artwork on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a restricted account, which the authorities later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or soon after, the artwork entered New York and was purchased by a prominent figure, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was transferred through a gallery to the institution, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise set up the BEG in the late 1970s, which operates a gallery in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The legal action states that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the defendants continue to hide the manner and time the BEG came into ownership of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis looted the artwork from the family, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a trustee, and took the funds of the sale.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs initiated a related lawsuit in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The legal action states that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the artwork had probably been seized by the Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to resolve issues related to WWII.

A representative stated: At no time during the museum's possession of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the family – in fact, that knowledge did not become available until a long time after the artwork left the institution's holdings.

The Met's sale of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for removal from collection – specifically, it was documented that the piece was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the comparable nature in the inventory. While the museum respectfully stands by its view that this piece entered the holdings and was removed properly and well within all standards and procedures, the Met is open to and will review any additional details that emerges.

Foundation's Defense

A lawyer representing the foundation stated: BEG is a renowned institution in Athens. The action to litigate and defame the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are convinced it will be again.