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The descendants of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was looted by the Nazis.

Case History

According to the legal filing, the Stern couple bought the piece, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in the German city of Munich prior to WWII.

The complaint argues that the museum, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was probably looted property. The descendants are now demanding the restitution of the canvas along with damages.

Since the end of the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from the city of Munich to the United States in 1936 with their offspring 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 Nazi government declared the artwork as a German cultural asset and prohibited the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a trustee designated by the Nazis auctioned the piece on the family's behalf. But, the funds from the sale were placed in a frozen account, which the authorities later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or soon after, the painting entered the United States and was purchased by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Later, it was sold through a gallery to the institution, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner Basil Goulandris and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the BEG in the late 1970s, which manages a gallery in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.

Claims and Defenses

The institution and a living relative of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action claims that the Goulandris family and its related entities have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide how and when the institution came into possession of the piece; the family's possession of the masterpiece from several years; and the truth that the regime looted the Painting from the family, pressured the couple into disposing of it via a regime representative, and seized the money of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs filed a related lawsuit in California in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also denied in recently.

Museum's Response

The legal action argues that the institution's buying of the piece was authorized by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the Painting had almost certainly been looted by the Nazis.

The institution responded that it is committed to its ongoing pledge to handle Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson remarked: At no time during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – actually, that knowledge did not become available until many years after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – specifically, it was noted that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the same type in the collection. Although the museum maintains its view that this work entered the collection and was sold legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the institution is open to and will review any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

A lawyer acting for BEG said: The institution is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The attempt to sue and smear the institution and the Goulandris family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, twice. We are confident it will be again.