🔗 Share this article

The family members of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against The Met, claiming that a Van Gogh canvas was looted by Nazi forces.

Case History

Per the court documents, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The legal action contends that the institution, which purchased the painting in the mid-1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was likely confiscated property. The heirs are now requesting the repatriation of the artwork along with damages.

Since the end of World War II, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, alleges the legal filing.

Family's Flight

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

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government declared the painting as a German cultural asset and banned the family from exporting it. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee designated by the Nazis disposed of the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. However, the funds from the transaction were deposited in a blocked account, which the Nazis later confiscated.

Later Transactions

In 1948, or shortly after, the painting arrived in New York and was purchased by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Eventually, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the institution, which then passed it on to wealthy Greek businessman Basil Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a institution in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The institution and a family member of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing states that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the family.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the institution came into ownership of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the Painting from the mid-1930s; and the reality that the regime confiscated the Painting from the family, pressured the family into parting with it via a regime representative, and took the funds of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs submitted a comparable case in CA in 2022, but it was rejected in the following years. An further action was also dismissed in May 2025.

The Met's Position

The complaint states that the Met's purchase of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the Painting had almost certainly been looted by Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it takes seriously its longstanding commitment to resolve Nazi-era claims.

An official commented: Not once during the institution's custody of the painting was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the heirs – in fact, that data did not become accessible until a long time after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was noted that the piece was considered to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the holdings. Even though the institution upholds its view that this artwork entered the collection and was sold properly and well within all standards and procedures, the Met invites and will examine any additional details that is discovered.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation commented: The institution is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the organization and the family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, twice. We are convinced it will be a third time.