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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 canvas was stolen by the Nazis.

Case History

Per the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were forced to flee their home in Munich, Germany just before World War II.

The suit contends that the museum, which acquired the painting in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly looted property. The heirs are now seeking the return of the canvas along with damages.

Since the end of WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through NYC, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Stern family fled from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their offspring due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the painting, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the artwork as a German cultural asset and forbade the family from bringing it with them. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a agent designated by the authorities sold the painting on the couple's behalf. But, the funds from the auction were held in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or shortly after, the painting arrived in the United States and was acquired by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in the early 1970s.

The Greek couple established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a museum 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 filing claims that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have covered up the painting's ownership and location from the family.

Even now, the defendants continue to hide the circumstances the foundation came into control of the Painting; the couple's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the Nazis stole the Painting from the Stern family, coerced the family into disposing of it via a trustee, and confiscated the proceeds of the transaction.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in CA in 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An appeal was also rejected in May 2025.

The Met's Position

The legal action argues that the institution's buying of the piece was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the artwork had likely been looted by the Nazis.

The institution said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to handle issues related to WWII.

An official remarked: Not once during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – indeed, that information did not become accessible until a long time after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – specifically, it was recorded that the piece was judged to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the same type in the holdings. Even though the institution respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the holdings and was removed lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the institution invites and will examine any new information that comes to light.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel representing BEG commented: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to litigate and defame the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are confident it will be again.