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The descendants of a Jewish pair have brought a case against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, asserting that a the Dutch artist art piece was seized by the Nazis.

Case History

Per the legal filing, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the piece, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. A year after, they were compelled to leave their home in Munich prior to World War II.

The suit states that the Met, which purchased the painting in the 1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was likely confiscated property. The heirs are now seeking the return of the canvas along with damages.

Following WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern escaped from their Munich home to California in 1936 with their six children due to the oppressive Nazi regime. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was painted by the renowned Dutch in 1889.

Before they left, Nazi authorities declared the painting as a German cultural asset and prohibited the Sterns from exporting it. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a representative assigned by the Nazis sold the piece on the family's behalf. Yet, the proceeds from the transaction were placed in a restricted account, which the regime later seized.

Later Transactions

Around 1948, or soon after, the painting was brought to New York and was acquired by Vincent Astor, a member of the Astor family. Later, it was transferred through a gallery to the museum, which then sold it to prominent shipowner the magnate and his spouse, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple set up the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which manages a institution in Athens where the masterpiece is currently on display.

Legal Arguments

The institution and a family member of the magnate are named as defendants. The legal action alleges that the Goulandris family and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.

Even now, the defendants continue to conceal the circumstances the foundation came into possession of the piece; the couple's ownership of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich confiscated the artwork from the Stern family, coerced the family into selling it via a trustee, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Previous Legal Action

The descendants filed a comparable case in CA in the year 2022, but it was dismissed in the following years. An further action was also rejected in spring 2025.

The Met's Position

The legal action contends that the institution's buying of the piece was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi-era looted art. The curator and the museum must have known that the artwork had probably been seized by the Nazis.

The Met said in a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to address Nazi-era claims.

An official remarked: Never during the institution's custody of the painting was there any documentation that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – actually, that knowledge did not become known until many years after the artwork left the Met's possession.

The Met's sale of Olive Picking met the Met's guidelines for disposal – in particular, it was documented that the piece was deemed to be of inferior standard than other works of the similar kind in the holdings. Although The Met maintains its stance that this artwork entered the holdings and was sold legally and well within all rules and regulations, the Met invites and will examine any further evidence that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

Legal counsel representing the foundation said: The Goulandris Foundation is a renowned institution in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the Foundation and the Goulandris family in the America upon inaccurate and partial claims was previously dismissed, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be a third time.