🔗 Share this article

The descendants of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a Van Gogh canvas was seized by the Nazis.

Historical Background

According to the lawsuit, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their residence in Munich, Germany on the eve of WWII.

The suit states that the institution, which acquired the masterpiece in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was likely stolen property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the canvas along with damages.

Since the end of WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, claims the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Sterns fled from Munich to America in 1936 with their six children due to persecution by the Nazis. However, they were unable to bring the painting, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, the regime classified the masterpiece as German cultural property and forbade the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a agent assigned by the Nazis auctioned the artwork on the couple's behalf. But, the proceeds from the sale were deposited in a frozen account, which the authorities later took.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to the United States 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 sold it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a gallery in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a living relative of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The lawsuit claims that the family and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the painting's ownership and current place from the family.

Even now, the defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the foundation came into ownership of the piece; the Stern family's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis looted the Painting from the Stern family, pressured the family into disposing of it via a trustee, and took the money of the deal.

Prior Cases

The descendants initiated a comparable case in CA in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An further action was also denied in May 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint states that the institution's buying of the artwork was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the Painting had almost certainly been stolen by the regime.

The Met said in a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to address claims from the Nazi period.

A spokesperson remarked: Never during the museum's possession of the piece was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the family – actually, that data did not become known until many years after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was documented that the piece was deemed to be of lower caliber than other works of the same type in the holdings. While The Met maintains its position that this work entered the holdings and was sold legally and well within all standards and procedures, the institution invites and will examine any additional details that comes to light.

BEG's Response

William Charron representing the foundation stated: BEG is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the institution and the defendants in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, twice. We are convinced it will be once more.