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

Historical Background

Per the lawsuit, the Stern couple bought the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich on the eve of WWII.

The complaint states that the Met, which obtained the masterpiece in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was likely stolen property. The family are now seeking the return of the painting along with financial restitution.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through NYC, claims the court document.

Forced Emigration

The Sterns escaped from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their large family due to Nazi persecution. Yet, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was produced by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Prior to their departure, the regime designated the artwork as a German cultural asset and forbade the couple from bringing it with them. Once approved from a Third Reich agent, a agent assigned by the Nazis sold the artwork on the family's behalf. But, the funds from the sale were deposited in a frozen account, which the regime later confiscated.

Post-War History

By 1948, or soon after, the canvas was brought to New York and was purchased by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Eventually, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the Met, which then passed it on to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a institution in the Greek capital where the painting is currently exhibited.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a surviving nephew of Goulandris are listed as respondents. The filing states that the Goulandris family and its associated organizations have hidden and obscured the painting's ownership and current place from the plaintiffs.

Currently, the foundation continue to hide the circumstances the foundation came into control of the artwork; the Stern family'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 trustee, and confiscated the proceeds of the transaction.

Prior Cases

The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in CA in 2022, but it was rejected in 2024. An legal challenge was also rejected in spring 2025.

Museum's Response

The legal action contends that the Met's purchase of the piece was approved by the museum's expert, the museum's curator of European paintings and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the masterpiece had probably been stolen by the Nazis.

The museum responded that it prioritizes its ongoing pledge to resolve claims from the Nazi period.

A representative remarked: At no time during the museum's possession of the painting was there any evidence that it had earlier been possessed to the Stern family – actually, that information did not become accessible until many years after the painting left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – in particular, it was documented that the work was judged to be of lesser quality than other pieces of the same type in the holdings. Even though The Met maintains its position that this piece entered the inventory and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the institution welcomes and will consider any new information that is discovered.

BEG's Response

A lawyer acting for BEG commented: The institution is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the organization and the Goulandris family in the America upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was earlier rejected, multiple times. We are certain it will be a third time.