The Met Confronts Lawsuit Over Reportedly Nazi-Stolen Van Gogh Painting

The descendants of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against The Met, alleging that a Van Gogh canvas was stolen by the Nazis.

Origins of the Dispute

According to the court documents, the Stern couple bought the piece, titled Olive Harvest, in 1935. Just one year later, they were obliged to escape their home in Munich just before World War II.

The legal action states that the Met, which purchased the masterpiece in the 1950s for a significant sum, should have known it was probably confiscated property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the artwork along with financial restitution.

In the decades since the war, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, bought and sold in and through the city of New York, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Sterns escaped from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. However, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was created by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the Nazi government classified the artwork as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a regime representative, a trustee appointed by the regime disposed of the painting on the family's behalf. But, the money from the sale were held in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or shortly after, the artwork was brought to NYC and was bought by a wealthy American, one of America's wealthiest people. Eventually, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the museum, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his wife, Mrs. Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

Basil and Elise founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a institution in Athens where the masterpiece is currently on display.

Claims and Defenses

The institution and a surviving nephew of the magnate are listed as respondents. The legal action alleges that the defendants and its affiliates have covered up the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the heirs.

Even now, the foundation continue to obscure how and when the BEG came into possession of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the Painting from several years; and the facts that the regime stole the Painting from the family, coerced the family into selling it via a regime representative, and took the funds of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An appeal was also rejected in recently.

Institution's Statement

The legal action contends that the museum's acquisition of the piece was approved by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi-era looted art. The institution and its expert must have known that the Painting had likely been seized by the Nazis.

The museum said in a statement that it is committed to its longstanding commitment to resolve claims from the Nazi period.

A representative stated: At no time during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the family – indeed, that knowledge did not become available until many years after the artwork 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 documented that the piece was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the similar kind in the collection. Although the museum maintains its view that this piece entered the holdings and was deaccessioned properly and well within all rules and regulations, the museum is open to and will review any new information that is discovered.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer on behalf of the foundation stated: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The effort to sue and smear the institution and the defendants in the America upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was earlier rejected, on two occasions. We are certain it will be once more.