Woman-Ochre
Willem de Kooning1955Oil on canvas
Cut from its frame the morning after Thanksgiving 1985, Woman-Ochre vanished for 31 years. It was discovered after the death of a New Mexico couple, hidden behind a door in their home. One of the most extraordinary recoveries in art theft history.
Color Mood
Viscerally warm and raw. De Kooning builds the figure from ochres, ambers, and whites in frenzied strokes — color as aggression, as tenderness, as pure painterly force.
University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson (recovered 2017 after 31 years)
Primary Colors
The dominant colors that define the overall mood and atmosphere of the work.
Secondary Colors
Supporting colors that add depth, contrast, and visual interest.
Tertiary Colors
Accent and detail colors that complete the composition.
abstract-expressionismstolenwarmyellowgesturalrecovered