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The heirs of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against The Met, asserting that a the Dutch artist art piece was seized by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The suit argues that the institution, which purchased the masterpiece in 1956 for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was likely looted property. The family are now requesting the restitution of the artwork along with damages.

Following WWII, this plundered piece has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, alleges the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns departed from the city of 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 painted by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the masterpiece as German cultural property and prohibited the Sterns from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a regime representative, a representative assigned by the authorities sold the piece on the Sterns' behalf. But, the money from the transaction were deposited in a restricted account, which the authorities later took.

Post-War History

By 1948, or soon after, the artwork entered New York and was acquired by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Eventually, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

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

Legal Arguments

The institution and a family member of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing alleges that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and current place from the family.

Even now, the foundation continue to obscure the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the family's possession of the masterpiece from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the Nazis stole the artwork from the heirs, forced the couple into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the proceeds of the transaction.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs submitted a similar complaint in the state of California in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in May 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit states that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was sanctioned by a curator, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum were aware or ought to have been aware that the artwork had almost certainly been looted by the regime.

The Met responded that it takes seriously its historical dedication to address Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson remarked: Never during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the heirs – actually, that knowledge did not become known until a long time after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – in particular, it was noted that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the similar kind in the inventory. Although the museum respectfully stands by its position that this artwork entered the holdings and was removed properly and well within all standards and procedures, the museum invites and will examine any further evidence that emerges.

BEG's Response

William Charron representing the foundation commented: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the organization and the family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, twice. We are convinced it will be a third time.