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The descendants of a Jewish couple have filed a lawsuit against The Met, alleging that a Van Gogh art piece was looted by Nazi forces.

Historical Background

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

The complaint contends that the Met, which obtained the artwork in 1956 for a significant sum, should have known it was probably confiscated property. The family are now requesting the restitution of the canvas along with financial restitution.

In the decades since World War II, 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.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern departed from the city of Munich to California in 1936 with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the artwork, which was created by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the painting as German cultural property and prohibited the family from bringing it with them. Following authorization from a regime representative, a trustee designated by the regime auctioned the artwork on the Sterns' behalf. However, the funds from the transaction were placed in a restricted account, which the Nazis later took.

Post-War History

By 1948, or not long after, the painting entered the United States and was bought by a wealthy American, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was sold through a art dealer to the museum, which then transferred it to Greek shipping magnate the magnate and his partner, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the BEG in 1979, which operates a gallery in Athens, Greece where the artwork is currently shown.

Claims and Defenses

BEG and a surviving nephew of the magnate are identified in the suit. The legal action claims that the defendants and its associated organizations have covered up the painting's ownership and location from the heirs.

Currently, the defendants continue to obscure the circumstances the foundation came into control of the piece; the family's possession of the artwork from several years; and the reality that the Third Reich confiscated the canvas from the Stern family, forced the Sterns into selling it via a regime representative, and confiscated the proceeds of the transaction.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family filed a similar complaint in the state of California in the year 2022, but it was thrown out in the following years. An legal challenge was also denied in recently.

Museum's Response

The legal action argues that the Met's purchase of the piece was sanctioned by a curator, the Met's authority of Old Masters 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 masterpiece had likely been looted by the regime.

The institution issued a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to address claims from the Nazi period.

An official commented: Not once during the institution's custody of the artwork was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that data did not become available until several decades after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – namely, it was recorded that the work was considered to be of inferior standard than additional artworks of the same type in the holdings. Even though the institution maintains its view that this artwork entered the holdings and was sold legally and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met invites and will examine any new information that comes to light.

Foundation's Defense

William Charron acting for BEG said: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The effort to sue and smear the Foundation and the defendants in the US upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, twice. We are confident it will be again.