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The descendants of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Met, asserting that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was seized by the Nazis.

Case History

Per the legal filing, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. The following year, they were obliged to escape their dwelling in the German city of Munich just before World War II.

The suit states that the museum, which acquired the painting in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly stolen property. The descendants are now seeking the restitution of the painting along with damages.

Following the war, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, bought and sold in and through NYC, claims the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the painting as a German cultural asset and prohibited the Sterns from exporting it. Following authorization from a regime representative, a representative appointed by the authorities disposed of the painting on the family's behalf. Yet, the funds from the sale were deposited in a blocked account, which the Nazis later took.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered NYC and was purchased by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his spouse, Elise, in 1972.

Basil and Elise founded the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which runs a gallery in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Legal Arguments

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action claims that the family and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

To this day, the foundation continue to obscure the manner and time the BEG came into control of the Painting; the family's possession of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the regime looted the canvas from the Stern family, coerced the couple into disposing of it via a regime representative, and seized the proceeds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants submitted a related lawsuit in CA in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in recently.

Institution's Statement

The legal action argues that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of European art and a leading authority on art theft during the Nazi era. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the Painting had probably been stolen by the Nazis.

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

A spokesperson stated: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the Stern family – actually, that knowledge did not become known until a long time after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the institution's rigorous standards for removal from collection – in particular, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the inventory. Although The Met upholds its position that this piece entered the inventory and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the museum is open to and will review any further evidence that is discovered.

BEG's Response

William Charron acting for the Goulandris Foundation said: BEG is a renowned institution in the Greek capital. The action to litigate and defame the institution and the defendants in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be once more.