Metropolitan Museum Confronts Legal Challenge Over Supposedly Nazi-Stolen Van Gogh Painting
The family members of a Jewish spouses have filed a lawsuit against New York's Metropolitan Museum, asserting that a the Dutch artist oil painting was looted by Nazi forces.
Historical Background
As stated in the lawsuit, Frederick and Hedwig Stern bought the painting, titled Gathering Olives, in 1935. A year after, they were obliged to escape their residence in the German city of Munich prior to the Second World War.
The suit argues that the Met, which purchased the masterpiece in 1956 for one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, must have realized it was probably confiscated property. The descendants are now requesting the return of the artwork along with damages.
In the decades since WWII, this stolen artwork has been frequently and covertly traded, acquired and disposed of in and through New York, alleges the legal filing.
Forced Emigration
The Sterns fled from Munich to America in the late 1930s with their large family due to the oppressive Nazi regime. However, they were prevented from taking the Van Gogh piece, which was created by the celebrated artist in the late 19th century.
Before the family's emigration, the regime designated the artwork as German cultural property and prohibited the Sterns from taking it abroad. Once approved from a regime representative, a representative appointed by the authorities disposed of the painting on the couple's behalf. Yet, the money from the transaction were held in a restricted account, which the regime later confiscated.
Subsequent Ownership
In 1948, or shortly after, the painting entered NYC and was acquired by Vincent Astor, one of America's wealthiest people. Subsequently, it was sold through a art dealer to the institution, which then transferred it to prominent shipowner Basil Goulandris and his spouse, Mrs. Goulandris, in the early 1970s.
The Goulandris pair set up the BEG in 1979, which runs a institution in the Greek capital where the artwork is currently on display.
Court Allegations
The institution and a surviving nephew of the magnate are listed as respondents. The lawsuit alleges that the family and its related entities have concealed and disguised the masterpiece's history and whereabouts from the plaintiffs.
To this day, the Goulandris Defendants continue to hide the manner and time the BEG came into control of the artwork; the couple's ownership of the artwork from 1935 to 1938; and the truth that the Third Reich confiscated the Painting from the heirs, forced the couple into disposing of it via a trustee, and confiscated the funds of the deal.
Previous Legal Action
The Stern heirs filed a related lawsuit in the state of California in recently, but it was thrown out in the following years. An further action was also dismissed in recently.
Museum's Response
The lawsuit contends that the museum's acquisition of the piece was sanctioned by Theodore Rousseau Jr, the museum's curator of European paintings and a renowned specialist on Nazi art looting. The curator and the museum knew or should have known that the masterpiece had likely been looted by the Nazis.
The institution issued a statement that it prioritizes its historical dedication to address issues related to WWII.
A spokesperson stated: Not once during The Met's ownership of the artwork was there any evidence that it had previously been owned to the Stern family – in fact, that information did not become accessible until a long time after the artwork left the Museum's collection.
The Met's sale of the Van Gogh met the institution's rigorous standards for deaccessioning – in particular, it was documented that the work was deemed to be of inferior standard than other pieces of the comparable nature in the collection. Even though the museum maintains its position that this artwork entered the collection and was deaccessioned lawfully and well within all rules and regulations, the institution welcomes and will consider any additional details that emerges.
BEG's Response
Legal counsel on behalf of the foundation said: The Goulandris Foundation is a esteemed foundation in Greece. The action to sue and smear the institution and the family in the United States upon deceptive and insufficient accusations was earlier rejected, on two occasions. We are confident it will be again.
