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The descendants of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a Van Gogh oil painting was stolen by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the legal filing, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich just before the Second World War.

The legal action contends that the museum, which acquired the painting in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was probably looted property. The family are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with compensation.

Following the war, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through NYC, alleges the court document.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from their Munich home to the United States in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, the Nazi government declared the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and prohibited the family from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee appointed by the Nazis sold the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. However, the money from the sale were held in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to the United States and was acquired by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the Met, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair set up the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a institution in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Legal Arguments

The foundation and a family member of the magnate are named as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that the Goulandris family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the heirs.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the institution came into ownership of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the Nazis stole the Painting from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants submitted a related lawsuit in the state of California in 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An legal challenge was also dismissed in recently.

Institution's Statement

The complaint states that the institution's buying of the piece was approved by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had almost certainly been looted by the regime.

The institution said in a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to address issues related to WWII.

A spokesperson stated: Never during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the heirs – in fact, that data did not become accessible until many years after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for disposal – in particular, it was noted that the artwork was considered to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the inventory. While The Met respectfully stands by its view that this piece entered the inventory and was sold lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

BEG's Response

A lawyer on behalf of BEG commented: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in Athens. The action to take legal action against the institution and the defendants in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are certain it will be again.