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The heirs of a Jewish pair have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a the Dutch artist oil painting was stolen by the Nazis.

Case History

As stated in the lawsuit, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their home in the German city of Munich on the eve of WWII.

The legal action contends that the museum, which obtained the painting in the 1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The family are now requesting the repatriation of the painting along with compensation.

In the decades since WWII, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns departed from Munich to the United States in 1936 with their six children due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the painting as German cultural property and banned the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a regime representative, a agent designated by the regime auctioned the painting on the family's behalf. Yet, the money from the auction were held in a restricted account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or not long after, the artwork was brought to New York and was purchased by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a institution in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

BEG and a family member of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action states that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have covered up the masterpiece's history and current place from the family.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the manner and time the BEG came into ownership of the Painting; the couple's ownership of the Painting from several years; and the reality that the Third Reich confiscated the artwork from the heirs, pressured the couple into selling it via a trustee, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants filed a similar complaint in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was rejected in the following years. An legal challenge was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit contends that the institution's buying of the artwork was authorized by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of European art and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert must have known that the artwork had likely been seized by Nazis.

The institution said in a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to resolve issues related to WWII.

A spokesperson stated: At no time during the institution's custody of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the heirs – indeed, that data did not become available until a long time after the masterpiece left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – namely, it was noted that the artwork was deemed to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the same type in the collection. While the institution upholds its stance that this piece entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum welcomes and will consider any additional details that is discovered.

BEG's Response

William Charron on behalf of the foundation said: BEG is a renowned institution in Athens. The action to sue and smear the institution and the defendants in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was previously dismissed, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.