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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against The Met, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was seized by Nazi forces.

Case History

Per the lawsuit, the Stern couple acquired the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were obliged to escape their home in Munich on the eve of World War II.

The complaint states that the institution, which obtained the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was almost certainly stolen property. The descendants are now demanding the return of the painting along with financial restitution.

Since the end of WWII, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from the city of Munich to the United States in the late 1930s with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Before the family's emigration, Nazi authorities declared the painting as German cultural property and forbade the Sterns from bringing it with them. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a agent appointed by the regime disposed of the piece on the Sterns' behalf. Yet, the money from the sale were placed in a blocked account, which the Nazis later took.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or shortly after, the canvas arrived in NYC and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which manages a museum in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a living relative of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit alleges that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the defendants continue to obscure how and when the foundation came into control of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the Third Reich confiscated the canvas from the heirs, coerced the family into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the money of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs initiated a related lawsuit in California in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An legal challenge was also denied in recently.

Museum's Response

The lawsuit states that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of European paintings and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the artwork had likely been looted by Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it is committed to its ongoing pledge to address Nazi-era claims.

An official stated: At no time during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any documentation that it had earlier been possessed to the heirs – indeed, that information did not become known until many years after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the institution's rigorous standards for disposal – namely, it was documented that the artwork was deemed to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the similar kind in the holdings. While the museum maintains its position that this piece entered the collection and was deaccessioned legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the institution welcomes and will consider any further evidence that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation said: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The effort to litigate and defame the institution and the Goulandris family in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are certain it will be again.