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The heirs of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Van Gogh oil painting was looted by the Third Reich.

Historical Background

As stated in the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern acquired the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. A year after, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich just before the Second World War.

The legal action states that the institution, which purchased the artwork in 1956 for a significant sum, should have known it was likely stolen property. The heirs are now seeking the repatriation of the artwork along with compensation.

In the decades since the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through NYC, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

The Stern family fled from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the artwork as German cultural property and prohibited the couple from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a trustee appointed by the Nazis disposed of the piece on the family's behalf. But, the funds from the sale were deposited in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or soon after, the artwork was brought to New York and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then sold it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

The Greek couple set up the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a museum in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The lawsuit claims that the family and its related entities have covered up the painting's ownership and location from the family.

To this day, the defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the foundation came into ownership of the artwork; the family's possession of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the facts that the regime stole the artwork from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The family initiated a comparable case in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also denied in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit argues that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of European art and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the Painting had probably been looted by the Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it prioritizes its longstanding commitment to address issues related to WWII.

A representative commented: Never during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any record that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – actually, that knowledge did not become available until a long time after the artwork left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of Olive Picking met the institution's rigorous standards for removal from collection – specifically, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than other works of the similar kind in the holdings. Although the museum upholds its stance that this work entered the inventory and was sold properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that emerges.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation stated: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The attempt to sue and smear the institution and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are certain it will be again.