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The descendants of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Van Gogh oil painting was looted by the Third Reich.

Case History

According to the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the piece, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich, Germany prior to World War II.

The complaint contends that the institution, which obtained the artwork in 1956 for a significant sum, must have realized it was likely looted property. The heirs are now demanding the repatriation of the painting along with compensation.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through NYC, states the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

The Stern family escaped from the city of Munich to America in 1936 with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was created by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Before they left, the Nazi government declared the artwork as a German cultural asset and banned the Sterns from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a trustee appointed by the regime disposed of the artwork on the family's behalf. However, the money from the auction were deposited in a frozen account, which the Nazis later seized.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to New York and was acquired by a prominent figure, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was transferred through a gallery to the museum, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a gallery in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing states that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have covered up the painting's ownership and whereabouts from the family.

To this day, the foundation continue to conceal the circumstances the BEG came into ownership of the piece; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from several years; and the facts that the Nazis confiscated the canvas from the Stern family, pressured the Sterns into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and seized the money of the sale.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs submitted a comparable case in CA in 2022, but it was dismissed in the following years. An appeal was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The complaint contends that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert must have known that the masterpiece had probably been looted by Nazis.

The museum issued a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to handle issues related to WWII.

A spokesperson stated: At no time during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any record that it had once belonged to the heirs – in fact, that data did not become known until several decades after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for disposal – specifically, it was recorded that the work was judged to be of inferior standard than other works of the comparable nature in the collection. Even though The Met upholds its stance that this artwork entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation said: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The effort to litigate and defame the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, twice. We are certain it will be once more.