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The descendants of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was seized by the Third Reich.

Case History

According to the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their home in the German city of Munich prior to World War II.

The suit states that the Met, which acquired the painting in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The heirs are now seeking the restitution of the artwork along with financial restitution.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through New York, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were unable to bring the painting, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities declared the painting as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from bringing it with them. Once approved from a Nazi official, a representative assigned by the authorities disposed of the piece on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the sale were deposited in a frozen account, which the regime later seized.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or not long after, the painting arrived in the United States and was purchased by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Later, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple established the BEG in 1979, which manages a institution in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a family member of the magnate are listed as respondents. The legal action alleges that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

To this day, the foundation continue to conceal the circumstances the institution came into control of the piece; the family's possession of the artwork from several years; and the truth that the regime looted the artwork from the heirs, forced the Sterns into disposing of it via a trustee, and took the funds of the transaction.

Previous Legal Action

The family submitted a similar complaint in the state of California in 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also denied in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit contends that the museum's acquisition of the painting was authorized by a curator, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had probably been seized by the regime.

The museum said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to handle claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – actually, that knowledge did not become known until many years after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was documented that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though The Met respectfully stands by its view that this artwork entered the inventory and was deaccessioned properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum invites and will examine any further evidence that comes to light.

BEG's Response

A lawyer acting for the Goulandris Foundation stated: The institution is a renowned institution in Athens. The effort to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was previously dismissed, twice. We are confident it will be a third time.