New York's Met Museum Responds to Lawsuit Over Reportedly Nazi-Stolen Van Gogh Artwork

The family members of a Jewish pair have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was seized by the Third Reich.

Origins of the Dispute

As stated in the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern acquired the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. The following year, they were forced to flee their residence in the German city of Munich prior to the Second World War.

The legal action contends that the museum, which obtained the artwork in the 1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly confiscated property. The heirs are now seeking the repatriation of the artwork along with financial restitution.

In the decades since WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through NYC, claims the court document.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns departed from Munich to America in the late 1930s with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the painting as property of the state and forbade the Sterns from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Nazi official, a trustee appointed by the regime disposed of the piece on the family's behalf. However, the funds from the transaction were held in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or not long after, the canvas arrived in NYC and was purchased by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a art dealer to the institution, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his wife, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the BEG in the late 1970s, which manages a museum in Athens where the painting is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a family member of the magnate are named as defendants. The legal action states that the family and its affiliates have covered up the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the Stern family's ownership of the masterpiece from several years; and the truth that the Nazis confiscated the artwork from the heirs, pressured the Sterns into parting with it via a regime representative, and seized the funds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

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

The Met's Position

The lawsuit argues that the museum's acquisition of the painting was approved 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 were aware or ought to have been aware that the Painting had likely been seized by Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to address claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: At no time during the institution's custody 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 a long time after the artwork left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was noted that the piece was judged to be of lower caliber than other pieces of the comparable nature in the collection. While the institution respectfully stands by its position that this work entered the collection and was removed properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met welcomes and will consider any new information that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation stated: The institution is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to sue and smear the institution and the defendants in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.