The descendants of a Jewish pair have initiated legal proceedings against The Metropolitan Museum of Art, alleging that a Vincent van Gogh art piece was stolen by the Third Reich.
Origins of the Dispute
As stated in the lawsuit, the Stern couple bought the artwork, titled Gathering Olives, in the year 1935. The following year, they were obliged to escape their dwelling in Munich just before World War II.
The complaint contends that the Met, which acquired the artwork in the mid-1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly stolen property. The heirs are now demanding the restitution of the painting along with financial restitution.
In the decades since WWII, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through New York, claims the lawsuit.
The Sterns' Escape
The Stern family departed from Munich to America in 1936 with their large family due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were prevented from taking the painting, which was painted by the Dutch post-impressionist in the late 19th century.
Before they left, the Nazi government designated the artwork as property of the state and banned the Sterns from bringing it with them. Once approved from a regime representative, a trustee assigned by the regime disposed of the artwork on the family's behalf. Yet, the funds from the sale were held in a restricted account, which the regime later took.
Later Transactions
In 1948, or not long after, the canvas was brought to New York and was bought by Vincent Astor, among the richest individuals in the US. Eventually, it was transferred through a commercial outlet to the museum, which then transferred it to prominent shipowner Goulandris and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.
Basil and Elise established the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in the late 1970s, which operates a museum in Athens, Greece where the artwork is currently exhibited.
Court Allegations
BEG and a living relative of the magnate are identified in the suit. The legal action claims that the family and its affiliates have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and current place from the family.
Currently, the foundation continue to conceal how and when the BEG came into ownership of the piece; the family's possession of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the regime confiscated the artwork from the heirs, forced the Sterns into disposing of it via a regime representative, and seized the money of the sale.
Prior Cases
The Stern heirs filed a comparable case in the state of California in recently, but it was thrown out in 2024. An appeal was also dismissed in recently.
Institution's Statement
The lawsuit contends that the Met's purchase of the artwork was authorized by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of European art and a renowned specialist on art theft during the Nazi era. Rousseau and the Met knew or should have known that the masterpiece had likely been seized by Nazis.
The Met said in a statement that it prioritizes its longstanding commitment to handle claims from the Nazi period.
An official remarked: At no time during The Met's ownership of the painting was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the family – in fact, that data did not become available until several decades after the painting left the Met's possession.
The institution's deaccessioning of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for deaccessioning – namely, it was noted that the artwork was judged to be of lesser quality than other works of the comparable nature in the collection. Although the institution upholds its view that this work entered the collection and was sold lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the Met is open to and will review any additional details that emerges.
Foundation's Defense
William Charron on behalf of BEG said: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The action to take legal action against the institution and the family in the US upon misleadingly incomplete allegations was already thrown out, multiple times. We are convinced it will be once more.
