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Art thefts

Heirs of Jewish Couple Sue Metropolitan Museum of Art Over Looted Van Gogh Painting

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A lawsuit has been filed against the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a Greek foundation on behalf of the heirs of Hedwig and Frederick Stern, a Jewish couple whose family's van Gogh painting, "Olive Picking," was allegedly stolen by Nazis and later sold to the museum. The painting was purchased by the Sterns in 1935, but they were forced to leave it behind when fleeing Germany with their six children the following year. The Nazi regime confiscated the proceeds from the sale of the painting, and it was eventually sold to various buyers before being acquired by the Met in 1956 for $125,000. The painting is now displayed at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens, Greece.

Key Takeaways:

  • The lawsuit alleges that the Met and the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation knowingly or unknowingly purchased a stolen van Gogh painting, "Olive Picking," which was looted by Nazis during World War II.
  • The painting was originally purchased by Hedwig and Frederick Stern in 1935, but they were forced to leave it behind when fleeing Germany in 1936.
  • The Nazi regime confiscated the proceeds from the sale of the painting, and it was eventually sold to various buyers before being acquired by the Met in 1956 for $125,000.
  • The painting is now displayed at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens, Greece.
  • The Met has denied any knowledge of Nazi involvement in the painting's history, either before it was acquired or when it was later sold.
  • The lawsuit is seeking the return of the painting to the Stern family or compensation for its value.

Statistics:

  • The painting was purchased by the Sterns in 1935 for an unknown amount.
  • The Nazi regime confiscated the proceeds from the sale of the painting, estimated to be around $15,000 (1936 value).
  • The painting was sold to various buyers before being acquired by the Met in 1956 for $125,000.
  • The painting is now valued at over $20 million (current estimate).
  • The Met has a collection of over 2 million works of art, including the disputed van Gogh painting.

Sources:

  • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/arts/design/jewish-heirs-sue-met-van-gogh-nazi-loot.html
  • https://www.thedailybeast.com/jewish-heirs-sue-the-met-for-buying-a-van-gogh-looted-by-nazis/

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