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The descendants of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Met, asserting that a Van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. The following year, they were obliged to escape their residence in the German city of Munich prior to World War II.

The complaint contends that the museum, which acquired the masterpiece in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was probably looted property. The descendants are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with damages.

In the decades since World War II, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through NYC, claims the court document.

Family's Flight

The Sterns escaped from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their offspring due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were unable to bring the artwork, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in the late 19th century.

Before they left, the regime designated the painting as property of the state and prohibited the couple from bringing it with them. After obtaining permission from a regime representative, a representative appointed by the regime auctioned the piece on the family's behalf. However, the money from the transaction were held in a restricted account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or not long after, the canvas was brought to NYC and was purchased by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then passed it on to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise set up the Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which manages a gallery in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action states that the defendants and its associated organizations have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the family.

Even now, the defendants continue to conceal the manner and time the BEG came into control of the Painting; the family's possession of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Third Reich confiscated the Painting from the family, coerced the couple into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the funds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants initiated a similar complaint in California in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The legal action contends that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was authorized by a curator, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the artwork had likely been looted by the regime.

The institution said in a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to handle Nazi-era claims.

An official stated: Never during the museum's possession of the painting was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that knowledge did not become accessible until a long time after the artwork left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for disposal – in particular, it was recorded that the work was considered to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the same type in the collection. Even though The Met upholds its stance that this work entered the inventory and was removed properly and well within all rules and regulations, the museum invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron acting for the foundation said: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in Athens. The attempt to litigate and defame the organization and the defendants in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are confident it will be again.