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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was seized by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

Per the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich just before WWII.

The suit states that the institution, which obtained the artwork in 1956 for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly confiscated property. The descendants are now demanding the restitution of the artwork along with compensation.

Since the end of WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, alleges the legal filing.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns departed from their Munich home to the United States in the late 1930s with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. However, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime classified the masterpiece as property of the state and banned the family from bringing it with them. Once approved from a regime representative, a representative assigned by the regime disposed of the piece on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the money from the transaction were placed in a blocked account, which the regime later took.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to NYC and was bought by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

Basil and Elise founded the BEG in 1979, which manages a gallery in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a living relative of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that the family and its affiliates have covered up the painting's ownership and current place from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to hide the circumstances the institution came into possession of the Painting; the family's possession of the Painting from several years; and the truth that the Nazis stole the Painting from the family, coerced the family into disposing of it via a trustee, and confiscated the proceeds of the sale.

Prior Cases

The descendants filed a related lawsuit in CA in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also denied in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The legal action argues that the Met's purchase of the artwork was authorized by a curator, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert must have known that the artwork had almost certainly been looted by Nazis.

The museum issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to address claims from the Nazi period.

A spokesperson remarked: Never during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any record that it had previously been owned to the family – indeed, that information did not become available until many years after the masterpiece left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – specifically, it was recorded that the piece was considered to be of lower caliber than other pieces of the comparable nature in the holdings. Although the institution maintains its position that this work entered the inventory and was removed legally and well within all rules and regulations, the institution welcomes and will consider any new information that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel acting for BEG commented: BEG is a renowned institution in Athens. The action to take legal action against the Foundation and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, on two occasions. We are confident it will be once more.