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The family members of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Van Gogh canvas was stolen by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

According to the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in 1935. A year after, they were forced to flee their dwelling in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The legal action states that the museum, which purchased the painting in the mid-1950s for $125,000, should have known it was likely stolen property. The descendants are now seeking the restitution of the painting along with compensation.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

The Stern family departed from the city of Munich to America in the late 1930s with their six children 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.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the masterpiece as property of the state and prohibited the Sterns from taking it abroad. Once approved from a regime representative, a representative appointed by the regime sold the painting on the family's behalf. But, the money from the transaction were placed in a blocked account, which the Nazis later took.

Post-War History

In 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered New York and was bought by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his spouse, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a institution in Athens where the artwork is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a surviving nephew of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit states that the family and its associated organizations have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and current place from the heirs.

Currently, the foundation continue to hide the circumstances the institution came into control of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis confiscated the Painting from the heirs, forced the couple into parting with it via a trustee, and took the funds of the transaction.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants initiated a related lawsuit in CA in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An legal challenge was also dismissed in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The legal action states that the institution's buying of the piece was authorized by a curator, the institution's specialist of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the Painting had likely been stolen by the Nazis.

The Met responded that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to resolve Nazi-era claims.

An official commented: Never during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any record that it had earlier been possessed to the heirs – indeed, that data did not become known until several decades after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was documented that the piece was deemed to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the comparable nature in the holdings. Although The Met respectfully stands by its stance that this work entered the inventory and was removed legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum welcomes and will consider any new information that is discovered.

BEG's Response

A lawyer on behalf of BEG stated: BEG is a renowned institution in Greece. The attempt to sue and smear the institution and the Goulandris family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, on two occasions. We are confident it will be again.