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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a Vincent van Gogh canvas was looted by the Third Reich.

Case History

According to the lawsuit, the Stern couple bought the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The legal action contends that the institution, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was likely stolen property. The heirs are now demanding the return of the painting along with compensation.

Since the end of WWII, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, bought and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns fled from their Munich home to California in the late 1930s with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was created by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, the regime designated the artwork as a German cultural asset and prohibited the family from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a trustee assigned by the authorities auctioned the artwork on the couple's behalf. However, the money from the sale were held in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Post-War History

By 1948, or not long after, the artwork entered the United States and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the museum, which then sold it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his wife, Elise, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair founded the BEG in 1979, which operates a museum in Athens where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The institution and a surviving nephew of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing alleges that the family and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Currently, the foundation continue to obscure how and when the institution came into ownership of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the regime confiscated the Painting from the heirs, forced the Sterns into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs filed a similar complaint in CA in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An legal challenge was also denied in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The legal action argues that the institution's buying of the painting was authorized by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. Rousseau and the Met must have known that the Painting had likely been looted by Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to handle Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson commented: At no time during the institution's custody of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the family – actually, that data did not become accessible until many years after the painting left the institution's holdings.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the institution's rigorous standards for disposal – in particular, it was noted that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than other pieces of the similar kind in the holdings. While the museum upholds its view that this piece entered the inventory and was removed lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the Met invites and will examine any new information that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer on behalf of BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a renowned institution in Athens. The attempt to take legal action against the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was earlier rejected, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.