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The family members of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against The Met, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was seized by the Nazis.

Case History

According to the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their residence in the German city of Munich on the eve of World War II.

The complaint contends that the institution, which acquired the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly stolen property. The descendants are now seeking the repatriation of the canvas along with damages.

In the decades since World War II, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through New York, claims the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from the city of Munich to America in the late 1930s with their large family due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were unable to bring the painting, which was created by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, Nazi authorities declared the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and banned the family from bringing it with them. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a trustee assigned by the Nazis disposed of the piece on the couple's behalf. Yet, the money from the auction were placed in a restricted account, which the regime later confiscated.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or not long after, the painting was brought to the United States and was acquired by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was sold through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a institution in Athens where the artwork is currently exhibited.

Legal Arguments

BEG and a family member of the magnate are named as defendants. The filing claims that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the family.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to conceal how and when the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Nazis looted the canvas from the heirs, pressured the couple into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs filed a similar complaint in CA in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also denied in May 2025.

Museum's Response

The legal action contends that the Met's purchase of the painting was authorized by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the Painting had likely been looted by Nazis.

The museum said in a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to address Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson commented: Never during the institution's custody of the piece was there any record that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – actually, that information did not become known until several decades after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for disposal – specifically, it was recorded that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the similar kind in the collection. While the museum upholds its position that this artwork entered the inventory and was sold lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the Met is open to and will review any further evidence that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron representing the foundation commented: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the institution and the family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are confident it will be a third time.