New York's Met Museum Faces Legal Action Over Reportedly Nazi-Plundered Van Gogh Masterpiece
The heirs of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against The Met, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was looted by Nazi forces.
Case History
According to the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their residence in Munich, Germany just before World War II.
The suit contends that the museum, which acquired the masterpiece in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was likely confiscated property. The descendants are now demanding the repatriation of the artwork along with damages.
In the decades since the war, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.
Family's Flight
The Stern family departed from Munich to the United States in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.
Prior to their departure, Nazi authorities classified the painting as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from exporting it. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a trustee appointed by the Nazis disposed of the artwork on the couple's behalf. But, the funds from the auction were held in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.
Subsequent Ownership
Around 1948, or not long after, the canvas arrived in New York and was acquired by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was sold through a art dealer to the Met, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.
The Greek couple founded the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a museum in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.
Court Allegations
The foundation and a family member of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit claims that the Goulandris family and its related entities have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the heirs.
To this day, the foundation continue to hide the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the piece; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich stole the artwork from the heirs, pressured the family into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and seized the proceeds of the sale.
Earlier Lawsuits
The Stern heirs initiated a comparable case in CA in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An legal challenge was also dismissed in May 2025.
Institution's Statement
The complaint states that the Met's purchase of the painting was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been stolen by the regime.
The institution responded that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to resolve issues related to WWII.
An official remarked: Not once during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any record that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that knowledge did not become known until several decades after the artwork left the Met's possession.
The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was noted that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the similar kind in the collection. Although The Met respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all standards and procedures, the Met is open to and will review any further evidence that emerges.
BEG's Response
William Charron on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation stated: BEG is a renowned institution in Greece. The action to take legal action against the organization and the Goulandris family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.
