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The family members of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a the Dutch artist oil painting was seized by the Nazis.

Case History

According to the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their residence in Munich on the eve of World War II.

The suit states that the Met, which acquired the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly confiscated property. The heirs are now demanding the repatriation of the painting along with compensation.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, the Nazi government classified the painting as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a representative appointed by the authorities auctioned the piece on the couple's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or not long after, the painting arrived in NYC and was bought by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was sold through a gallery to the Met, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner the magnate and his wife, Elise, in the early 1970s.

The Greek couple established the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a museum in Athens where the artwork is currently on display.

Court Allegations

The institution and a family member of the magnate are identified in the suit. The lawsuit claims that the Goulandris family and its related entities have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and location from the heirs.

To this day, the foundation continue to hide how and when the BEG came into ownership of the Painting; the family's possession of the artwork from several years; and the facts that the Nazis looted the canvas from the Stern family, coerced the family into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the money of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family initiated a comparable case in CA in 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint argues that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert must have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been looted by Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to resolve Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson commented: At no time during the museum's possession 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 several decades after the artwork left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – in particular, it was documented that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the holdings. While The Met respectfully stands by its stance that this artwork entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all rules and regulations, the museum welcomes and will consider any further evidence that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron on behalf of the foundation stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a renowned institution in Greece. The attempt to take legal action against the institution and the defendants in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.