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The descendants of a Jewish couple have initiated legal proceedings against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a the Dutch artist oil painting was looted by the Third Reich.

Case History

According to the court documents, Frederick and Hedwig Stern purchased the piece, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. The following year, they were compelled to leave their home in the German city of Munich on the eve of the Second World War.

The suit states that the museum, which acquired the artwork in the mid-1950s for $125,000, ought to have been aware it was almost certainly looted property. The heirs are now demanding the restitution of the canvas along with financial restitution.

In the decades since World War II, this plundered piece has been frequently and covertly traded, purchased and sold in and through NYC, states the legal filing.

Forced Emigration

Hedwig and Frederick Stern fled from Munich to America in the late 1930s with their offspring due to Nazi persecution. However, they were prevented from taking the artwork, which was created by the celebrated artist in 1889.

Before they left, the regime classified the masterpiece as property of the state and forbade the Sterns from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Third Reich agent, a trustee designated by the regime auctioned the piece on the couple's behalf. However, the funds from the sale were held in a blocked account, which the authorities later took.

Subsequent Ownership

In 1948, or soon after, the painting arrived in the United States and was acquired by a prominent figure, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was exchanged through a commercial outlet to the institution, which then sold it to Greek shipping magnate Goulandris and his spouse, Elise Goulandris, in 1972.

The Goulandris pair set up the BEG in 1979, which operates a gallery in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently shown.

Court Allegations

The foundation and a family member of Goulandris are named as defendants. The lawsuit claims that the family and its associated organizations have covered up the artwork's provenance and current place from the heirs.

To this day, the defendants continue to obscure the manner and time the foundation came into possession of the artwork; the family's possession of the masterpiece from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Nazis confiscated the artwork from the heirs, forced the family into disposing of it via a Nazi-appointed agent, and seized the money of the deal.

Previous Legal Action

The Stern heirs submitted a related lawsuit in California in recently, but it was rejected in the following years. An legal challenge was also rejected in recently.

The Met's Position

The complaint states that the museum's acquisition of the piece was approved by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and one of the world's foremost experts on art theft during the Nazi era. The curator and the museum were aware or ought to have been aware that the artwork had almost certainly been seized by Nazis.

The institution issued a statement that it is committed to its historical dedication to handle claims from the Nazi period.

A representative commented: At no time during The Met's ownership of the piece was there any documentation that it had once belonged to the Stern family – in fact, that information did not become available until a long time after the painting left the Museum's collection.

The museum's disposal of the Van Gogh met the Met's guidelines for removal from collection – namely, it was recorded that the artwork was considered to be of lower caliber than other works of the similar kind in the collection. Although the institution upholds its position that this work entered the inventory and was sold properly and well within all guidelines and policies, the Met welcomes and will consider any further evidence that comes to light.

Goulandris Statement

William Charron acting for BEG stated: The Goulandris Foundation is a highly prestigious organization in the Greek capital. The attempt to sue and smear the Foundation and the family in the US upon inaccurate and partial claims was already thrown out, on two occasions. We are convinced it will be a third time.