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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was seized by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

As stated in the lawsuit, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich, Germany prior to the Second World War.

The legal action argues that the museum, which purchased the painting in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was likely looted property. The heirs are now seeking the restitution of the canvas along with compensation.

Following World War II, this plundered piece has been often and discreetly exchanged, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Sterns fled from their Munich home to the United States in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. However, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and prohibited the Sterns from exporting it. Once approved from a Third Reich agent, a agent designated by the authorities auctioned the artwork on the couple's behalf. But, the money from the auction were deposited in a blocked account, which the authorities later seized.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or not long after, the painting entered NYC and was acquired by a prominent figure, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a museum in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.

Legal Arguments

BEG and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The legal action claims that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and current place from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the Goulandris Defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the institution came into possession of the piece; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from several years; and the facts that the Nazis confiscated the artwork from the heirs, pressured the family into selling it via a trustee, and seized the money of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The descendants initiated a similar complaint in CA in 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An legal challenge was also rejected in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The complaint states that the institution's buying of the painting was approved by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the Painting had likely been looted by the Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to resolve claims from the Nazi period.

A representative commented: Not once during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had earlier been possessed to the heirs – indeed, that data did not become available until many years after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – specifically, it was noted that the work was judged to be of inferior standard than other works of the same type in the holdings. Even though the museum upholds its view that this piece entered the inventory and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the museum welcomes and will consider any further evidence that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer representing BEG commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The effort to sue and smear the institution and the family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, multiple times. We are certain it will be again.