🔗 Share this article

The family members of a Jewish couple have brought a case against The Met, claiming that a Van Gogh canvas was looted by the Third Reich.

Historical Background

Per the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the artwork, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich prior to WWII.

The complaint argues that the institution, which obtained the painting in the 1950s for a significant sum, must have realized it was probably stolen property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the canvas along with damages.

Following the war, this stolen artwork has been often and discreetly exchanged, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, alleges the court document.

Forced Emigration

The Stern family escaped from their Munich home to the United States in 1936 with their offspring due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was painted by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Before they left, the regime classified the artwork as a German cultural asset and prohibited the couple from bringing it with them. Once approved from a Nazi official, a trustee assigned by the regime auctioned the painting on the couple's behalf. But, the money from the transaction were deposited in a restricted account, which the authorities later took.

Subsequent Ownership

By 1948, or not long after, the painting entered New York and was bought by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Later, it was exchanged through a art dealer to the Met, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his wife, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

Basil and Elise set up the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which operates a gallery in the Greek capital where the painting is currently shown.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are named as defendants. The legal action alleges that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have covered up the painting's ownership and location from the plaintiffs.

To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to obscure how and when the foundation came into ownership of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from several years; and the truth that the regime confiscated the canvas from the Stern family, coerced the family into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and took the funds of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

The descendants initiated a similar complaint in California in 2022, but it was dismissed in 2024. An further action was also denied in recently.

The Met's Position

The legal action argues that the museum's acquisition of the artwork was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi-era looted art. Rousseau and the Met were aware or ought to have been aware that the artwork had likely been seized by the Nazis.

The museum responded that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to handle Nazi-era claims.

An official commented: Never during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the family – actually, that knowledge did not become available until a long time after the artwork left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the museum's strict criteria for deaccessioning – in particular, it was documented that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. While the museum upholds its view that this work entered the collection and was removed lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the Met invites and will examine any further evidence that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron acting for the Goulandris Foundation commented: The institution is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The effort to litigate and defame the Foundation and the family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, twice. We are confident it will be a third time.