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The family members of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was seized by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

Per the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern purchased the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. The following year, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich on the eve of World War II.

The legal action contends that the museum, which purchased the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly looted property. The family are now demanding the repatriation of the painting along with financial restitution.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through NYC, alleges the court document.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from Munich to California in the late 1930s with their six children due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, the Nazi government declared the artwork as German cultural property and prohibited the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a agent assigned by the Nazis disposed of the painting on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the transaction were placed in a blocked account, which the authorities later took.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered the United States and was acquired by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Later, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then sold it to Greek shipping magnate Basil Goulandris and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the BEG in 1979, which manages a institution in Athens where the artwork is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a family member of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing claims that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the BEG came into possession of the piece; the Stern family's ownership of the masterpiece from several years; and the facts that the regime looted the artwork from the family, forced the couple into selling it via a regime representative, and took the money of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs submitted a similar complaint in California in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in recently.

The Met's Position

The complaint argues that the institution's buying of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the artwork had likely been looted by the regime.

The museum issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to handle issues related to WWII.

A representative commented: Not once during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – actually, that information did not become available until several decades after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the museum's strict criteria for removal from collection – in particular, it was documented that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than other works of the same type in the collection. While the institution respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all rules and regulations, the institution is open to and will review any new information that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation stated: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to take legal action against the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are certain it will be again.