The Met Confronts Legal Action Over Allegedly Nazi-Looted Van Gogh Artwork

The heirs of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was stolen by the Third Reich.

Case History

As stated in the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern acquired the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich, Germany prior to World War II.

The complaint contends that the Met, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was likely stolen property. The family are now requesting the repatriation of the artwork along with damages.

Since the end of World War II, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, states the legal filing.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family escaped from their Munich home to California in the late 1930s with their offspring due to the oppressive Nazi regime. However, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was created by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government designated the artwork as property of the state and banned the family from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a regime representative, a agent assigned by the regime auctioned the painting on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the funds from the sale were deposited in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to NYC and was acquired by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was sold through a gallery to the museum, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a museum in Athens, Greece where the painting is currently on display.

Court Allegations

BEG and a surviving nephew of the magnate are identified in the suit. The legal action states that the family and its related entities have covered up the painting's ownership and location from the family.

To this day, the foundation continue to conceal the manner and time the BEG came into control of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the regime stole the Painting from the heirs, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a trustee, and took the money of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants initiated a related lawsuit in CA in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also denied in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The complaint argues that the museum's acquisition of the painting was approved by a curator, the Met's authority of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the artwork had probably been stolen by Nazis.

The museum issued a statement that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to handle claims from the Nazi period.

A spokesperson stated: Never during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the family – indeed, that information did not become known until many years after the artwork left the institution's holdings.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was documented that the work was deemed to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the same type in the holdings. Even though The Met respectfully stands by its view that this piece entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the museum invites and will examine any further evidence that comes to light.

BEG's Response

A lawyer representing the foundation stated: BEG is a renowned institution in the Greek capital. The action to litigate and defame the organization and the family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.