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The descendants of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that a Van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

As stated in the legal filing, the Stern couple purchased the artwork, titled Olive Harvest, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their residence in the German city of Munich prior to World War II.

The legal action argues that the institution, which acquired the artwork in the 1950s for a significant sum, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly looted property. The descendants are now seeking the repatriation of the painting along with compensation.

In the decades since WWII, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.

Family's Flight

The Stern family fled from the city of Munich to California in the late 1930s with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. However, they were unable to bring the artwork, which was created by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before they left, the regime designated the artwork as property of the state and prohibited the family from exporting it. Once approved from a regime representative, a representative assigned by the authorities sold the piece on the family's behalf. But, the funds from the auction were deposited in a restricted account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or not long after, the painting entered the United States and was bought by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Subsequently, it was transferred through a gallery to the museum, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner the magnate and his partner, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens where the artwork is currently shown.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a surviving nephew of the magnate are named as defendants. The legal action claims that the family and its associated organizations have covered up the artwork's provenance and current place from the heirs.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide the manner and time the BEG came into possession of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the truth that the Third Reich stole the Painting from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into disposing of it via a regime representative, and took the proceeds of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The family filed a related lawsuit in the state of California in 2022, but it was dismissed in the following years. An appeal was also dismissed in spring 2025.

Institution's Statement

The complaint contends that the institution's buying of the painting was authorized by the museum's expert, the Met's authority of European art and a renowned specialist on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met must have known that the Painting had almost certainly been seized by Nazis.

The institution said in a statement that it takes seriously its ongoing pledge to resolve Nazi-era claims.

A representative stated: Not once during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the family – indeed, that knowledge did not become known until several decades after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for deaccessioning – namely, it was recorded that the piece was deemed to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though The Met maintains its stance that this piece entered the inventory and was removed lawfully and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met invites and will examine any further evidence that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel acting for the foundation said: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The effort to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the United States upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, twice. We are confident it will be again.