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

Historical Background

Per the lawsuit, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their home in the German city of Munich prior to WWII.

The suit states that the museum, which obtained the painting in 1956 for $125,000, must have realized it was likely looted property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the painting along with financial restitution.

Following the war, this plundered piece has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through NYC, states the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Sterns escaped from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were unable to bring the artwork, which was painted by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the masterpiece as property of the state and banned the family from bringing it with them. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a representative designated by the regime auctioned the artwork on the couple's behalf. But, the funds from the auction were deposited in a restricted account, which the authorities later took.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to New York and was acquired by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Later, it was exchanged through a gallery to the Met, which then transferred it to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which runs a institution in the Greek capital where the painting is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a family member of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The lawsuit states that the family and its affiliates have covered up the masterpiece's history and location from the plaintiffs.

Currently, the defendants continue to hide the manner and time the foundation came into ownership of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the facts that the regime stole the Painting from the Stern family, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a regime representative, and seized the funds of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The family filed a related lawsuit in CA in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit contends that the institution's buying of the artwork was approved by a curator, the institution's specialist of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the Painting had almost certainly been seized by the regime.

The Met responded that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to resolve issues related to WWII.

A spokesperson stated: Not once during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any record that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – in fact, that data 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 – specifically, it was recorded that the work was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though the institution respectfully stands by its view that this piece entered the holdings and was deaccessioned properly and well within all standards and procedures, the Met is open to and will review any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel acting for the Goulandris Foundation commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The attempt to take legal action against the institution and the defendants in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be once more.