What you need to know about 'Woman-Ochre,' the $100M painting stolen from UA

Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-American artist in the 20th century who specialized in abstract expressionism, a style of painting made popular by artists such as Jackson Pollock.

A prolific painter, de Kooning made his home in New York City's Greenwich Village where he has been described by biographers as the first art world superstar.

He painted "Woman-Ochre" in the winter of 1954-55 using a combination of oil, house paints and charcoal.

For subscribers: New details paint picture of alleged de Kooning painting thieves

The finished work went on display at a New York art gallery before being purchased by businessman Edward Joseph Gallagher Jr. in 1957. The following year, Gallagher donated "Woman-Ochre," along with a number of other works, to the University of Arizona.

The painting was stolen in a daring heist the day after Thanksgiving in 1985 and was missing for more than three decades before being recovered in 2017 in the home of a deceased couple.

Here's more about the painting and heist:

How did 'Woman-Ochre' end up in the home of a retired New Mexico couple?

We don't really know. But many clues point to Jerry and Rita Alter as being involved in the theft. The couple resemble a composite sketch of the thieves.

The thieves were described as leaving the museum in a rust-colored sports car; the Alters almost exclusively owned red cars. A handwritten note in their 1985 travel journal — the same year the painting was stolen — says they bought a red Toyota Supra earlier that year.

A family photograph also places them in Tucson on Thanksgiving Day in 1985, the day before the painting was stolen in the same city.

The FBI has declined comment on whether the couple were the thieves. Tim Carpenter, senior special adviser to the FBI Art Crime Team, said the case is closed but could be reopened if new information comes to light.

He said the Alters are the only two people who know for sure how they obtained the painting and how it ended up in their house and "they took that to the grave with them."

Jerry died in 2012. Rita died in 2017. Her nephew and estate executor, Ron Roseman, made arrangements to sell the house and its contents. The owners of an antique store in nearby Silver City — David Van Auker, Buck Burns and Rick Johnson — bought the contents of the home for $2,000 in August 2017.

How did the antique store owners know the work was a de Kooning?

They didn't at first. Van Auker liked the painting and wanted to hang it in his guesthouse. But before he could get the painting home, a visitor to the antique store spotted the work and told him: "I think that's a real de Kooning."

Van Auker went to his computer and found a 2015 azcentral.com article about the stolen painting. He called the University of Arizona Museum of Art in a panic and told them he suspected he had purchased a stolen painting. The university sent a team to examine the painting and brought it back to Tucson. This time, "Woman-Ochre" had a police escort home.

How much is the painting worth?

In 2015, the university estimated its value at between $100 million and $160 million. University officials, on the advice of attorneys, aren't putting a current value on "Woman-Ochre."

A similar painting by de Kooning, "Woman III," sold for $137.5 million in 2006. It's safe to assume "Woman-Ochre" is worth at least that much and probably more now that the painting's story has become so famous.

How did the painting become part of the University of Arizona's art collection?

Businessman and art collector Edward Joseph Gallagher Jr. donated "Woman-Ochre" to the university's museum in 1958. He was a frequent visitor to Arizona and gave the painting, along with other works, in memory of his son, Edward Gallagher III, who died in a boating accident at age 13.

Gallagher wanted the great works to be available to students, he told the Tucson Daily Citizen in 1974.

“I was never particularly interested in collecting for myself,” he said. “I believe art should be where everyone can see it.”

The painting quickly became a gem in the museum’s collection. People in the art world knew that the small Tucson museum had a de Kooning, a Jackson Pollock and a Mark Rothko.

Could the university sell the painting?

No. Gallagher donated the painting with the stipulation that "Woman-Ochre" can never be sold or given way.

How was the painting damaged?

The thief used a sharp object to slash "Woman-Ochre" from the museum frame and then ripped it off a secondary canvas.  The canvas was rolled tightly so the thief could hide the painting under his winter coat as he left the museum. Conservators at the Getty believe the painting was rolled so that the paint was on the inside. This caused a lot of cracking.

Conservators had to reattach lifting and flaking paint using special tools and a microscope. Then they used a tiny brush and pigments to fill in areas where paint had been lost, known as "inpainting."

Conservators removed two coats of discolored varnish, including a cheap varnish applied by the thieves. The varnish gave the painting a gray or yellowish tint.

When will 'Woman-Ochre' go back on display?

The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles is restoring the painting in exchange for being able to display the work for a few months. The Getty exhibit is June 7 to Aug. 28, 2022 before the painting returns to the University of Arizona Museum of Art for exhibit beginning Oct. 8.

Reporter Anne Ryman has written extensively about "Woman-Ochre" and was the first journalist to report that the painting had been recovered. Have a question about the painting? You can reach her at anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8072. Follow her on Twitter @anneryman.

Reach the reporter at anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8072. Follow her on Twitter @anneryman.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about de Kooning's 'Woman-Ochre' painting stolen from UA