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The heirs of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern acquired the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich, Germany on the eve of the Second World War.

The legal action argues that the museum, which acquired the painting in the mid-1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was probably looted property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the painting along with compensation.

In the decades since World War II, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through the city of New York, claims the court document.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from the city of Munich to America in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities designated the painting as property of the state and prohibited the family from bringing it with them. Once approved from a Nazi official, a trustee appointed by the authorities auctioned the painting on the couple's behalf. But, the money from the auction were deposited in a frozen account, which the regime later took.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or soon after, the canvas arrived in NYC and was purchased by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Eventually, it was sold through a art dealer to the museum, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise established the BEG in 1979, which runs a gallery in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing alleges that the defendants and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the heirs.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the institution came into ownership of the artwork; the family's possession of the masterpiece from several years; and the reality that the Third Reich looted the artwork from the heirs, pressured the family into parting with it via a trustee, and confiscated the money of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family initiated a similar complaint in California in 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit argues that the institution's buying of the artwork was authorized by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had likely been stolen by the regime.

The museum responded that it takes seriously its historical dedication to address issues related to WWII.

A representative commented: Never during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had earlier been possessed to the family – in fact, that information did not become available until many years after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for disposal – specifically, it was documented that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the similar kind in the collection. While the institution respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the collection and was removed lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the institution invites and will examine any further evidence that is discovered.

BEG's Response

A lawyer representing the foundation said: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The attempt to take legal action against the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, multiple times. We are convinced it will be once more.