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The family members of a Jewish pair have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, claiming that a the Dutch artist art piece was seized by the Nazis.

Historical Background

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich prior to WWII.

The legal action contends that the institution, which obtained the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The heirs are now demanding the repatriation of the painting along with financial restitution.

Since the end of World War II, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, alleges the lawsuit.

The Sterns' Escape

The Sterns escaped from their Munich home to America in the late 1930s with their six children due to persecution by the Nazis. However, they were unable to bring the painting, which was created by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the regime declared the masterpiece as German cultural property and banned the couple from exporting it. Once approved from a regime representative, a agent appointed by the authorities sold the piece on the couple's behalf. But, the funds from the transaction were placed in a frozen account, which the authorities later took.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered the United States and was purchased by a wealthy American, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was transferred through a gallery to the Met, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his wife, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple established the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a gallery in Athens where the artwork is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a living relative of Basil Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing alleges that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and current place from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the institution came into control of the Painting; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich looted the Painting from the family, pressured the family into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the proceeds of the deal.

Earlier Lawsuits

The Stern heirs initiated a similar complaint in California in recently, but it was thrown out in the following years. An appeal was also rejected in May 2025.

The Met's Position

The lawsuit states that the Met's purchase of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European paintings and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the Painting had likely been seized by the Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it prioritizes its longstanding commitment to address claims from the Nazi period.

An official remarked: Never during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any evidence that it had once belonged to the heirs – actually, that data did not become available until many years after the masterpiece left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for removal from collection – specifically, it was noted that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than other works of the same type in the collection. Although the institution upholds its view that this work entered the collection and was sold properly and well within all standards and procedures, the Met welcomes and will consider any further evidence that emerges.

Goulandris Statement

A lawyer acting for BEG said: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The action to sue and smear the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the US upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was earlier rejected, twice. We are convinced it will be once more.