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The heirs of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh oil painting was looted by the Third Reich.

Historical Background

As stated in the lawsuit, the Stern couple bought the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their home in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The complaint argues that the Met, which purchased the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for $125,000, must have realized it was probably looted property. The heirs are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with damages.

Following WWII, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through NYC, claims the court document.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family departed from the city of Munich to America in 1936 with their six children due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before they left, the Nazi government declared the artwork as German cultural property and forbade the Sterns from taking it abroad. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a agent appointed by the authorities disposed of the painting on the family's behalf. Yet, the money from the auction were placed in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Post-War History

In 1948, or shortly after, the painting arrived in New York and was purchased by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was transferred through a gallery to the museum, which then sold it to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his wife, Elise, in the early 1970s.

The Goulandris pair founded the BEG in 1979, which manages a institution in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

BEG and a family member of Basil Goulandris are identified in the suit. The lawsuit claims that the family and its related entities have covered up the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Currently, the foundation continue to obscure how and when the foundation came into ownership of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the Painting from several years; and the facts that the regime stole the artwork from the heirs, coerced the couple into selling it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The family submitted a related lawsuit in the state of California in recently, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also denied in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit contends that the museum's acquisition of the piece was authorized by a curator, the Met's authority of Old Masters and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi-era looted art. The curator and the museum must have known that the Painting had likely been looted by the regime.

The Met responded that it is committed to its historical dedication to handle claims from the Nazi period.

A representative commented: Not once during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – indeed, that data did not become available until a long time after the masterpiece left the institution's holdings.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the institution's rigorous standards for deaccessioning – specifically, it was documented that the work was judged to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the collection. Although the museum maintains its stance that this work entered the collection and was sold lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the institution welcomes and will consider any further evidence that emerges.

BEG's Response

William Charron acting for the Goulandris Foundation said: BEG is a renowned institution in Greece. The action to take legal action against the organization and the defendants in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are convinced it will be a third time.