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The descendants of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a Van Gogh oil painting was looted by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

Per the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in the German city of Munich on the eve of WWII.

The legal action argues that the institution, which obtained the painting in 1956 for $125,000, must have realized it was likely stolen property. The descendants are now seeking the restitution of the painting along with financial restitution.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through NYC, states the lawsuit.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from Munich to the United States in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Yet, they were unable to bring the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, the regime classified the artwork as a German cultural asset and banned the Sterns from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a agent designated by the regime sold the piece on the Sterns' behalf. But, the money from the auction were deposited in a frozen account, which the regime later seized.

Post-War History

In 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to New York and was bought by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was transferred through a art dealer to the Met, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his wife, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a gallery in the Greek capital where the masterpiece is currently shown.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a family member of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The legal action alleges that the family and its associated organizations have covered up the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to conceal the circumstances the BEG came into possession of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the reality that the regime looted the canvas from the heirs, pressured the couple into disposing of it via a regime representative, and confiscated the funds of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The descendants initiated a similar complaint in CA in recently, but it was rejected in 2024. An legal challenge was also rejected in May 2025.

Museum's Response

The complaint argues that the museum's acquisition of the piece was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the Painting had probably been looted by the Nazis.

The museum said in a statement that it takes seriously its historical dedication to handle claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: Not once during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the heirs – in fact, that knowledge did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – namely, it was recorded that the work was considered to be of lower caliber than other works of the comparable nature in the collection. Even though The Met respectfully stands by its position that this work entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the institution is open to and will review any further evidence that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel on behalf of the Goulandris Foundation commented: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The effort to sue and smear the organization and the defendants in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was previously dismissed, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.