Last Saturday, I posted about a visit to the University of Arizona Art Museum in Tucson and I mentioned that I'd tell you more about the the artwork I wanted to see at that museum.
This is that painting, "Woman-Ochre" by Willem de Kooning. I didn't want so see it because I was especially fond of it, I'm not. I wanted to see it because of the mystery that is now attached to it.
You see, on the day after Thanksgiving in 1985, this painting was stolen from the museum by a man and a woman. The woman distracted the guard with questions while the man cut this valuable painting from its frame, rolled it up and hid it under his coat.
The pair left the museum 15 minutes after they entered and made a quick get-away in a red sports car.
In 2017, the painting was purchased along with furniture and other things for $2000.00 at an estate sale. The buyer was the owner of an antiques store in Silver City New Mexico. The estate sale was at the home of Jerry and Rita Alter, two retired teachers who lived in the small town of Cliff New Mexico. The painting had been clumsily re-framed and was hanging behind the bedroom door in the Alter home, a place where it was only seen by the couple when the bedroom door was closed. When the owner of the antiques store learned that the painting was stolen, he returned it to the U of A Art Museum. From there, the painting spent several years being carefully restored before returning to the museum in 2022.
So many questions remain a mystery today. Did the Alter's steal the painting, which seems likely, and if so why? Had they stolen other works of art that were never discovered? And, how did two retired teachers have the money to travel to 140 countries? There are so many more questions.
It's a fascinating story. If it interests you, check this Wikipedia page. It has a lot of information. I also discovered that a documentary was made about the painting, the Alters and the entire mystery. It's called "The Thief Collector" and it's available on Amazon Prime. I watched it and it reveals even more mysteries about the couple and it opens up even more questions.
Like I said, I love a good mystery.
That does sound fascinating, Sharon. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! This is an art mystery I hadn't heard about before. I hope I can get that documentary here in the UK!
ReplyDeleteThat is fascinating. I wonder if the retired teachers were art teachers or somehow connected to the art world? And to hang something like this on the back of a bedroom door??!
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