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The family members of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, alleging that a the Dutch artist art piece was looted by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

According to the legal filing, the Stern couple bought the piece, titled Olive Picking, in the year 1935. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their residence in Munich, Germany just before WWII.

The legal action states that the museum, which obtained the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The family are now seeking the restitution of the artwork along with financial restitution.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been often and discreetly exchanged, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, claims the legal filing.

Family's Flight

The Sterns escaped from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was produced by the Dutch post-impressionist in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the regime declared the masterpiece as a German cultural asset and banned the Sterns from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee assigned by the Nazis sold the piece on the couple's behalf. Yet, the money from the transaction were placed in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or shortly after, the artwork was brought to the United States and was purchased by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was sold through a art dealer to the museum, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his partner, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the BEG in 1979, which manages a institution in Athens, Greece where the masterpiece is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a family member of Basil Goulandris are named as defendants. The filing alleges that the Goulandris family and its related entities have hidden and obscured the painting's ownership and location from the family.

To this day, the foundation continue to conceal how and when the BEG came into possession of the Painting; the Stern family's ownership of the artwork from the mid-1930s; and the facts that the regime looted the Painting from the family, coerced the family into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the proceeds of the deal.

Prior Cases

The descendants filed a related lawsuit in California in the year 2022, but it was rejected in the following years. An appeal was also dismissed in May 2025.

Institution's Statement

The lawsuit states that the Met's purchase of the piece was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of European art and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. The institution and its expert knew or should have known that the artwork had likely been seized by the Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to address Nazi-era claims.

An official commented: Not once during the museum's possession of the painting was there any record that it had previously been owned to the heirs – indeed, that information did not become available until many years after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The Met's sale of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for disposal – specifically, it was documented that the artwork was judged to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the similar kind in the inventory. Even though the museum maintains its position that this piece entered the inventory and was removed properly and well within all rules and regulations, the Met is open to and will review any new information that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

Legal counsel acting for BEG said: The institution is a renowned institution in the Greek capital. The effort to litigate and defame the institution and the Goulandris family in the US upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was previously dismissed, on two occasions. We are confident it will be once more.