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The family members of a Jewish spouses have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a the Dutch artist oil painting was seized by Nazi forces.

Case History

Per the legal filing, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the piece, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. A year after, they were obliged to escape their dwelling in Munich, Germany prior to the Second World War.

The legal action contends that the museum, which acquired the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was almost certainly confiscated property. The heirs are now seeking the repatriation of the painting along with damages.

In the decades since WWII, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, bought and sold in and through New York, alleges the court document.

Family's Flight

The Sterns fled from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the painting, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before the family's emigration, the regime declared the painting as German cultural property and forbade the couple from bringing it with them. Once approved from a Nazi official, a trustee appointed by the Nazis sold the artwork on the couple's behalf. However, the funds from the transaction were held in a restricted account, which the authorities later took.

Post-War History

By 1948, or shortly after, the painting was brought to New York and was purchased by a prominent figure, a member of the Astor family. Eventually, it was exchanged through a gallery to the institution, which then sold it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise founded the BEG in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens where the painting is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The institution and a family member of Goulandris are identified in the suit. The legal action states that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to hide how and when the institution came into possession of the piece; the couple's ownership of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich looted the canvas from the heirs, coerced the Sterns into disposing of it via a regime representative, and confiscated the funds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants initiated a related lawsuit in the state of California in 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An further action was also dismissed in recently.

Museum's Response

The complaint states that the Met's purchase of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the institution's specialist of European paintings and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum were aware or ought to have been aware that the masterpiece had probably been looted by the regime.

The Met issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to handle issues related to WWII.

A representative remarked: Not once during the institution's custody of the piece was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – indeed, that information did not become accessible until a long time after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The Met's sale of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for disposal – namely, it was documented that the piece was considered to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the same type in the holdings. Although the museum upholds its view that this artwork entered the inventory and was deaccessioned legally and well within all rules and regulations, the museum is open to and will review any new information that is discovered.

BEG's Response

William Charron representing the Goulandris Foundation commented: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in the Greek capital. The attempt to litigate and defame the organization and the family in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was previously dismissed, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be again.