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The heirs of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against The Met, asserting that a Van Gogh oil painting was seized by the Nazis.

Case History

Per the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their residence in Munich, Germany on the eve of World War II.

The complaint states that the Met, which obtained the painting in 1956 for a significant sum, should have known it was likely confiscated property. The descendants are now requesting the repatriation of the canvas along with financial restitution.

Following the war, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, claims the legal filing.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from their Munich home to California in the late 1930s with their large family due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was produced by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime classified the painting as German cultural property and forbade the couple from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a representative assigned by the Nazis disposed of the piece on the Sterns' behalf. However, the proceeds from the transaction were deposited in a frozen account, which the authorities later confiscated.

Post-War History

In 1948, or not long after, the canvas entered the United States and was bought by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was sold through a art dealer to the Met, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise established the BEG in 1979, which operates a institution in Athens where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Legal Arguments

The foundation and a living relative of the magnate are named as defendants. The filing alleges that the family and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

To this day, the defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the institution came into ownership of the piece; the couple's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the Third Reich stole the artwork from the family, pressured the Sterns into disposing of it via a regime representative, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs submitted a related lawsuit in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An legal challenge was also dismissed in recently.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit contends that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert must have known that the Painting had likely been looted by Nazis.

The Met issued a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to handle claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: At no time during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that knowledge did not become known until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – namely, it was recorded that the artwork was deemed to be of lesser quality than other works of the similar kind in the holdings. Although the institution upholds its view that this artwork entered the holdings and was sold properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met is open to and will review any new information that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer representing the foundation commented: BEG is a renowned institution in Greece. The action to take legal action against the organization and the Goulandris family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be again.