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The family members of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against The Met, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was seized by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

As stated in the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the piece, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their home in Munich, Germany prior to World War II.

The suit argues that the institution, which obtained the masterpiece in the 1950s for $125,000, must have realized it was almost certainly stolen property. The family are now demanding the return of the canvas along with damages.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.

Family's Flight

The Stern family fled from Munich to the United States in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, Nazi authorities declared the artwork as German cultural property and forbade the Sterns from exporting it. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a trustee designated by the Nazis sold the painting on the couple's behalf. However, the money from the sale were deposited in a blocked account, which the regime later confiscated.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or soon after, the canvas entered New York and was acquired by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was sold through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate Basil Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a gallery in Athens where the artwork is currently on display.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action alleges that the Goulandris family and its related entities have covered up the painting's ownership and current place from the family.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide how and when the BEG came into possession of the Painting; the family's possession of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Third Reich stole the Painting from the heirs, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a regime representative, and confiscated the funds of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs submitted a similar complaint in CA in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in recently.

Institution's Statement

The legal action argues that the museum's acquisition of the piece was approved by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of European paintings and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. The curator and the museum were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had likely been seized by the regime.

The Met responded that it takes seriously its longstanding commitment to address issues related to WWII.

A spokesperson stated: Never during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the family – actually, that information did not become accessible until several decades after the masterpiece left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – in particular, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the comparable nature in the inventory. Although The Met upholds its view that this work entered the holdings and was sold lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the Met is open to and will review any new information that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

A lawyer acting for the foundation commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The attempt to take legal action against the Foundation and the family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are certain it will be again.