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The family members of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against The Met, asserting that a Van Gogh canvas was stolen by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the court documents, the Stern couple acquired the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich, Germany on the eve of World War II.

The legal action states that the institution, which purchased the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for $125,000, must have realized it was almost certainly looted property. The heirs are now seeking the restitution of the painting along with financial restitution.

Following the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from their Munich home to California in the late 1930s with their large family due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was produced by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime declared the painting as property of the state and prohibited the Sterns from taking it abroad. Once approved from a regime representative, a trustee assigned by the authorities disposed of the piece on the Sterns' behalf. However, the proceeds from the auction were placed in a frozen account, which the authorities later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or not long after, the artwork was brought to NYC and was bought by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate Basil Goulandris and his wife, Elise, in 1972.

Basil and Elise set up the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens where the painting is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a living relative of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action claims that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have covered up the painting's ownership and whereabouts from the heirs.

Even now, the foundation continue to obscure the manner and time the BEG came into control of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the Nazis confiscated the artwork from the heirs, coerced the Sterns into disposing of it via a trustee, and confiscated the funds of the deal.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs initiated a similar complaint in CA in the year 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in recently.

Institution's Statement

The legal action states that the Met's purchase of the artwork was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the Met's authority of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the artwork had probably been seized by the regime.

The institution said in a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to address claims from the Nazi period.

A representative stated: At no time during the institution's custody of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the family – in fact, that information did not become known until a long time after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The Met's sale of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for disposal – specifically, it was noted that the artwork was judged to be of lesser quality than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. While the institution maintains its view that this artwork entered the inventory and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the institution welcomes and will consider any new information that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron on behalf of the foundation commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a renowned institution in Greece. The action to sue and smear the organization and the family in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was earlier rejected, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.