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The descendants of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, alleging that a the Dutch artist oil painting was looted by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the court documents, the Stern couple bought the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. The following year, they were forced to flee their residence in the German city of Munich just before World War II.

The suit contends that the museum, which obtained the artwork in the mid-1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly confiscated property. The family are now requesting the return of the artwork along with financial restitution.

In the decades since WWII, this plundered piece has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through the city of New York, claims the legal filing.

Family's Flight

The Sterns departed from their Munich home to America in the late 1930s with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was painted by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the painting as German cultural property and forbade the family from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a regime representative, a trustee designated by the regime auctioned the piece on the couple's behalf. Yet, the funds from the transaction were deposited in a restricted account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or shortly after, the painting arrived in New York and was purchased by a prominent figure, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was sold through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise set up the BEG in 1979, which operates a museum in the Greek capital where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing states that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have covered up the masterpiece's history and location from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the BEG came into control of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the facts that the Third Reich looted the canvas from the family, pressured the family into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and seized the proceeds of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family filed a comparable case in the state of California in recently, but it was rejected in the following years. An further action was also denied in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint states that the institution's buying of the piece was authorized by a curator, the Met's authority of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the artwork had almost certainly been looted by the regime.

The Met said in a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to address issues related to WWII.

An official commented: Not once during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any record that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – actually, that information did not become known 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 removal from collection – specifically, it was documented that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the similar kind in the collection. Even though the museum maintains its position that this piece entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the Met welcomes and will consider any new information that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron on behalf of BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The action to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, twice. We are confident it will be again.