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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Van Gogh canvas was seized by the Nazis.

Historical Background

As stated in the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the painting, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich just before WWII.

The complaint argues that the museum, which purchased the painting in 1956 for a significant sum, should have known it was almost certainly confiscated property. The heirs are now seeking the return of the artwork along with financial restitution.

In the decades since the war, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through NYC, alleges the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from the city of Munich to the United States in the late 1930s with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the artwork, which was produced by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, the regime designated the artwork as a German cultural asset and banned the Sterns from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a representative assigned by the regime auctioned the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. However, the proceeds from the auction were held in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or shortly after, the canvas was brought to the United States and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his spouse, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise founded the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which manages a museum in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

The institution and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The lawsuit states that the family and its associated organizations have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the family.

Even now, the foundation continue to hide how and when the foundation came into control of the piece; the couple's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis confiscated the Painting from the heirs, pressured the couple into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Prior Cases

The descendants submitted a related lawsuit in California in 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An appeal was also dismissed in May 2025.

The Met's Position

The complaint argues that the institution's buying of the painting was approved by a curator, the Met's authority of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the Painting had likely been seized by Nazis.

The institution said in a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to handle issues related to WWII.

A representative stated: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – in fact, that knowledge did not become available until a long time after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was documented that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the collection. Although the institution maintains its stance that this piece entered the collection and was removed properly and well within all standards and procedures, the institution welcomes and will consider any additional details that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the Foundation and the defendants in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, multiple times. We are certain it will be once more.