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The heirs of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Van Gogh canvas was stolen by the Third Reich.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their residence in Munich, Germany prior to WWII.

The suit contends that the Met, which obtained the masterpiece in the 1950s for a significant sum, ought to have been aware it was probably looted property. The heirs are now demanding the restitution of the canvas along with compensation.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through NYC, claims the court document.

Family's Flight

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from Munich to America in 1936 with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Yet, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, the Nazi government classified the masterpiece as property of the state and forbade the couple from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a Third Reich agent, a agent assigned by the regime disposed of the artwork on the couple's behalf. However, the funds from the sale were deposited in a blocked account, which the authorities later seized.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or soon after, the canvas was brought to the United States and was bought by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was exchanged through a gallery to the Met, which then sold it to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his spouse, 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

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The lawsuit states that the family and its associated organizations have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and current place from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the defendants continue to obscure how and when the BEG came into ownership of the artwork; the family's possession of the masterpiece from several years; and the facts that the Third Reich stole the Painting from the heirs, coerced the couple into parting with it via a regime representative, and confiscated the money of the sale.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in CA in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An appeal was also denied in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit contends that the Met's purchase of the painting was approved by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met must have known that the Painting had probably been seized by Nazis.

The institution said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to handle Nazi-era claims.

A spokesperson remarked: Not once during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any record that it had once belonged to the heirs – in fact, that knowledge did not become accessible until a long time after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The museum's disposal of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – in particular, it was noted that the artwork was deemed to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the holdings. Although The Met respectfully stands by its stance that this artwork entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met invites and will examine any further evidence that is discovered.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron representing the foundation stated: The institution is a renowned institution in Athens. The action to sue and smear the organization and the Goulandris family in the United States upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be a third time.