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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was stolen by the Nazis.

Case History

According to the lawsuit, the Stern couple bought the painting, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their dwelling in the German city of Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The complaint argues that the Met, which purchased the painting in the mid-1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was probably confiscated property. The descendants are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with compensation.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, alleges the legal filing.

Family's Flight

The Stern family departed from Munich to California in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were unable to bring the painting, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Before they left, Nazi authorities classified the painting as German cultural property and banned the Sterns from exporting it. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a representative assigned by the Nazis auctioned the piece on the family's behalf. However, the funds from the sale were held in a restricted account, which the regime later took.

Post-War History

By 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered the United States and was bought by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner Basil Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which runs a museum in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

BEG and a living relative of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit states that the defendants and its associated organizations have concealed and disguised the painting's ownership and location from the heirs.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure how and when the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the Nazis looted the Painting from the heirs, coerced the Sterns into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the funds of the deal.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs submitted a similar complaint in CA in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit contends that the institution's buying of the piece was authorized by a curator, 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 Painting had almost certainly been stolen by the regime.

The institution responded that it prioritizes its longstanding commitment to resolve Nazi-era claims.

An official stated: At no time during the museum's possession of the piece was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the family – in fact, that data 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 Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – in particular, it was noted that the work was considered to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the similar kind in the holdings. Although the institution maintains its view that this work entered the collection and was deaccessioned legally and well within all standards and procedures, the museum invites and will examine any further evidence that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel on behalf of BEG commented: BEG is a renowned institution in the Greek capital. The effort to take legal action against the Foundation and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, multiple times. We are confident it will be once more.