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The family members of a Jewish pair have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a the Dutch artist oil painting was looted by the Nazis.

Case History

Per the court documents, the Stern couple bought the painting, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. A year after, they were obliged to escape their dwelling in Munich on the eve of WWII.

The legal action argues that the institution, which purchased the painting in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly looted property. The family are now seeking the repatriation of the canvas along with damages.

In the decades since WWII, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through the city of New York, states the lawsuit.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family departed from their Munich home to the United States in 1936 with their six children due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities designated the painting as German cultural property and banned the Sterns from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a trustee assigned by the Nazis auctioned the piece on the family's behalf. But, the money from the auction were placed in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or not long after, the canvas entered NYC and was purchased by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his wife, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the BEG in 1979, which manages a museum in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

The foundation and a living relative of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing states that the defendants and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and current place from the family.

Even now, the defendants continue to obscure the manner and time the institution came into ownership of the artwork; the family's possession of the Painting from several years; and the truth that the Third Reich looted the Painting from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the money of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs submitted a comparable case in California in the year 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An legal challenge was also denied in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit contends that the institution's buying of the artwork was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of Old Masters and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had probably been stolen by Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to handle Nazi-era claims.

A representative stated: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – actually, that information did not become known until many years after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – namely, it was recorded that the work was deemed to be of inferior standard than other works of the comparable nature in the inventory. While The Met respectfully stands by its view that this artwork entered the holdings and was removed legally and well within all standards and procedures, the Met invites and will examine any further evidence that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel representing BEG commented: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to litigate and defame the institution and the Goulandris family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, twice. We are confident it will be again.