image sourced from original article at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is facing a lawsuit from Judith Anne Silver, the heir of a Jewish family whose Vincent van Gogh painting was seized by Nazis during World War II. The painting, titled Olive Picking, was owned by Fritz and Hedwig Stern before they were forced to flee Germany, leaving the artwork behind. According to the lawsuit, the painting was declared German cultural property, sold by the Nazis, and the proceeds confiscated, with the Stern family never recovering it.
After changing hands multiple times, Olive Picking was eventually acquired by the Met in 1956 and later sold to the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation in Athens. Silver alleges that both the Met and the foundation failed to recognize the painting's looted history and concealed its provenance. The lawsuit seeks the return of the painting, damages, and compensation for its value.
The Met has responded by maintaining that the painting was acquired and sold legally, denying any wrongdoing or knowledge of Nazi looting. The museum stated it welcomes new information regarding the artwork's history and provenance.
