🔗 Share this article The Met Faces Lawsuit Over Reportedly Nazi-Stolen Van Gogh Artwork The family members of a Jewish couple have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a the Dutch artist art piece was stolen by Nazi forces. Historical Background According to the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the piece, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their home in Munich just before the Second World War. The suit contends that the museum, which purchased the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was probably stolen property. The heirs are now demanding the return of the canvas along with damages. Following WWII, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through the city of New York, alleges the court document. Family's Flight The Sterns fled from Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to persecution by the Nazis. However, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889. Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the masterpiece as property of the state and banned the couple from exporting it. Once approved from a Nazi official, a agent designated by the Nazis auctioned the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. But, the proceeds from the auction were held in a blocked account, which the authorities later took. Later Transactions By 1948, or soon after, the painting entered New York and was bought by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972. The Greek couple set up the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens where the artwork is currently on display. Claims and Defenses The foundation and a living relative of the magnate are named as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants and its associated organizations have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the family. To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the manner and time the foundation came into control of the piece; the Stern family's ownership of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Third Reich confiscated the canvas from the Stern family, forced the family into selling it via a trustee, and took the funds of the sale. Earlier Lawsuits The Stern heirs filed a similar complaint in the state of California in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in spring 2025. Institution's Statement The lawsuit argues that the museum's acquisition of the piece was sanctioned by a curator, the Met's authority of Old Masters and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had almost certainly been stolen by the regime. The Met issued a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to handle claims from the Nazi period. A representative stated: Not once during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the heirs – in fact, that knowledge 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 Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was noted that the artwork was deemed to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the comparable nature in the collection. Although The Met maintains its stance that this work entered the collection and was deaccessioned legally and well within all standards and procedures, the museum welcomes and will consider any new information that comes to light. BEG's Response Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation stated: BEG is a renowned institution in Athens. The action to sue and smear the Foundation and the defendants in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.