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The family members of a Jewish spouses have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a the Dutch artist oil painting was looted by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

As stated in the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern acquired the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich just before WWII.

The complaint argues that the Met, which purchased the masterpiece in the 1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was likely stolen property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the canvas along with compensation.

Following WWII, this plundered piece has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Sterns escaped from Munich to California in the late 1930s with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the Dutch post-impressionist in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, Nazi authorities declared the artwork as a German cultural asset and banned the Sterns from exporting it. Once approved from a regime representative, a trustee designated by the Nazis auctioned the artwork on the family's behalf. But, the proceeds from the sale were held in a blocked account, which the authorities later confiscated.

Post-War History

By 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to NYC and was acquired by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Subsequently, it was transferred through a art dealer to the museum, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman Goulandris and his spouse, Elise, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a institution in Athens where the artwork is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a living relative of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The lawsuit alleges that the family and its related entities have covered up the artwork's provenance and location from the family.

Currently, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide the manner and time the institution came into control of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from several years; and the facts that the Third Reich looted the Painting from the heirs, pressured the family into disposing of it via a regime representative, and took the money of the deal.

Prior Cases

The descendants filed a related lawsuit in CA in 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The lawsuit argues that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European art and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The curator and the museum must have known that the artwork had probably been seized by the regime.

The Met issued a statement that it takes seriously its longstanding commitment to resolve issues related to WWII.

A representative remarked: Never during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the family – actually, that knowledge did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of Olive Picking met the institution's rigorous standards for deaccessioning – specifically, it was noted that the piece was considered to be of lesser quality than other works of the similar kind in the holdings. While the institution respectfully stands by its view that this work entered the holdings and was deaccessioned legally and well within all standards and procedures, the Met welcomes and will consider any new information that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer acting for the foundation said: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The effort to sue and smear the organization and the Goulandris family in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, multiple times. We are certain it will be once more.