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The heirs of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, alleging that a the Dutch artist art piece was stolen by the Third Reich.

Case History

Per the legal filing, the Stern couple purchased the painting, titled Olive Picking, in the mid-1930s. A year after, they were compelled to leave their dwelling in Munich, Germany prior to World War II.

The legal action contends that the Met, which obtained the masterpiece in the mid-1950s for $125,000, must have realized it was almost certainly stolen property. The descendants are now demanding the repatriation of the canvas along with compensation.

In the decades since WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through the city of New York, alleges the lawsuit.

Family's Flight

The Stern family fled from the city of Munich to the United States in the late 1930s with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were unable to bring the painting, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities declared the masterpiece as property of the state and prohibited the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a regime representative, a trustee appointed by the regime sold the painting on the couple's behalf. But, the proceeds from the sale were placed in a frozen account, which the regime later took.

Later Transactions

By 1948, or not long after, the artwork arrived in NYC and was purchased by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in the early 1970s.

The Goulandris pair established the BEG in 1979, which manages a gallery in Athens, Greece where the artwork is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The institution and a living relative of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing alleges that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have hidden and obscured the painting's ownership and location from the family.

Even now, the foundation continue to hide how and when the BEG came into control of the piece; the couple's ownership of the Painting from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich looted the Painting from the family, coerced the Sterns into parting with it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and confiscated the funds of the sale.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs submitted a comparable case in California in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An further action was also denied in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The legal action states that the institution's buying of the artwork was approved by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The institution and its expert were aware or ought to have been aware that the Painting had probably been seized by the regime.

The museum said in a statement that it takes seriously its longstanding commitment to resolve issues related to WWII.

A representative commented: At no time during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any record that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that information did not become known until a long time after the painting left the institution's holdings.

The museum's disposal of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – specifically, it was documented that the piece was considered to be of lower caliber than other works of the comparable nature in the inventory. Even though the institution upholds its stance that this artwork entered the collection and was deaccessioned legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the institution welcomes and will consider any additional details that emerges.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel representing the Goulandris Foundation commented: BEG is a highly prestigious organization in Greece. The attempt to litigate and defame the Foundation and the defendants in the United States upon inaccurate and partial claims was earlier rejected, twice. We are convinced it will be a third time.