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The descendants of a Jewish couple have brought a case against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a the Dutch artist art piece was seized by Nazi forces.

Origins of the Dispute

Per the court documents, Hedwig and Frederick Stern bought the piece, titled Gathering Olives, in the mid-1930s. Just one year later, they were forced to flee their residence in the German city of Munich on the eve of WWII.

The complaint argues that the museum, which purchased the artwork in the mid-1950s for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, should have known it was almost certainly looted property. The family are now requesting the repatriation of the canvas along with financial restitution.

Following World War II, this stolen artwork has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through NYC, claims the legal filing.

Family's Flight

The Sterns fled from the city of Munich to the United States in 1936 with their six children due to persecution by the Nazis. Nevertheless, they were barred from transporting the painting, which was created by the renowned Dutch in the late 19th century.

Prior to their departure, the regime classified the artwork as German cultural property and forbade the couple from taking it abroad. After obtaining permission from a Nazi official, a representative designated by the authorities disposed of the painting on the couple's behalf. However, the proceeds from the auction were deposited in a restricted account, which the authorities later seized.

Post-War History

Around 1948, or shortly after, the artwork entered the United States and was purchased by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was transferred through a art dealer to the museum, which then transferred it to wealthy Greek businessman the magnate and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in 1972.

The Greek couple founded the Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which runs a institution in Athens where the painting is currently exhibited.

Claims and Defenses

The foundation and a surviving nephew of the magnate are identified in the suit. The filing alleges that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the artwork's provenance and whereabouts from the heirs.

Currently, the defendants continue to obscure how and when the BEG came into ownership of the Painting; the couple's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the facts that the Nazis looted the artwork from the family, pressured the family into disposing of it via a regime representative, and took the proceeds of the sale.

Earlier Lawsuits

The family filed a comparable case in the state of California in recently, but it was rejected in the following years. An further action was also denied in recently.

Museum's Response

The complaint contends that the institution's buying of the painting was approved by a curator, the institution's specialist of Old Masters and a leading authority on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the Painting had likely been stolen by the regime.

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

A spokesperson commented: Not once during the museum's possession of the artwork was there any record that it had once belonged to the Stern family – indeed, that data did not become known until a long time after the artwork left the Museum's collection.

The institution's deaccessioning of the artwork met the institution's rigorous standards for disposal – in particular, it was noted that the piece was deemed to be of inferior standard than other works of the comparable nature in the holdings. Even though the institution maintains its stance that this artwork entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all standards and procedures, the museum welcomes and will consider any new information that is discovered.

BEG's Response

Legal counsel representing the Goulandris Foundation stated: BEG is a esteemed foundation in Athens. The attempt to take legal action against the organization and the family in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was already thrown out, twice. We are certain it will be again.