Metropolitan Museum Confronts Lawsuit Over Supposedly Nazi-Looted Van Gogh Masterpiece

The descendants of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was stolen by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the lawsuit, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. A year after, they were forced to flee their dwelling in the German city of Munich just before WWII.

The complaint contends that the museum, which obtained the masterpiece in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was probably looted property. The descendants are now seeking the repatriation of the canvas along with compensation.

Since the end of the war, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through NYC, states the lawsuit.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from their Munich home to America in 1936 with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were barred from transporting the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Prior to their departure, Nazi authorities classified the masterpiece as German cultural property and prohibited the couple from exporting it. Once approved from a Third Reich agent, a trustee designated by the authorities disposed of the piece on the family's behalf. But, the proceeds from the sale were placed in a frozen account, which the Nazis later seized.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or soon after, the canvas was brought to NYC and was purchased by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was sold through a gallery to the institution, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his spouse, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a museum in Athens where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

The institution and a surviving nephew of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action alleges that the family and its related entities have covered up the painting's ownership and whereabouts from the family.

Even now, the foundation continue to conceal the manner and time the BEG came into possession of the piece; the family's possession of the Painting from several years; and the truth that the Third Reich looted the Painting from the heirs, forced the Sterns into selling it via a regime representative, and confiscated the funds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in CA in recently, but it was rejected in the following years. An appeal was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint contends that the museum's acquisition of the painting was authorized by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the masterpiece had almost certainly been looted by the Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to address Nazi-era claims.

An official remarked: Never during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – in fact, that information did not become known until several decades after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was documented that the artwork was judged to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the comparable nature in the collection. While The Met maintains its stance that this artwork entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all rules and regulations, the institution invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel acting for BEG stated: The institution is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The effort to sue and smear the Foundation and the family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are confident it will be a third time.