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The descendants of a Jewish pair have brought a case against The Met, alleging that a Van Gogh oil painting was stolen by the Third Reich.

Case History

Per the legal filing, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich, Germany prior to WWII.

The suit contends that the museum, which acquired the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was likely looted property. The descendants are now demanding the return of the painting along with damages.

Following WWII, this plundered piece has been frequently and covertly traded, bought and sold in and through the city of New York, alleges the lawsuit.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family escaped from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. However, they were unable to bring the painting, which was produced by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, Nazi authorities declared the artwork as German cultural property and forbade the couple from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a agent appointed by the Nazis disposed of the painting on the couple's behalf. However, the money from the sale were placed in a frozen account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

Around 1948, or soon after, the painting entered the United States and was acquired by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the museum, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his spouse, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise set up the BEG in 1979, which manages a gallery in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The lawsuit claims that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have covered up the masterpiece's history and current place from the heirs.

To this day, the foundation continue to conceal how and when the BEG came into possession of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis stole the canvas from the heirs, pressured the couple into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the money of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The family filed a similar complaint in California in the year 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The legal action states that the museum's acquisition of the piece was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of European art and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had almost certainly been seized by the Nazis.

The museum said in a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to resolve claims from the Nazi period.

A spokesperson commented: At no time during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – in fact, that information did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the institution's rigorous standards for removal from collection – specifically, it was noted that the work was deemed to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the comparable nature in the collection. Even though the institution maintains its position that this piece entered the holdings and was sold legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum is open to and will review any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

A lawyer representing BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are certain it will be a third time.