The treasured painting, part of a series by celebrated abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning, is back home at the UA Museum of Art.

UA Museum of Art security officer Jim Kushner stands guard during the authentication and inspection process of the returned “Woman-Ochre.”

After 31 Years, stolen ‘Woman-Ochre’, part of a series by celebrated abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning, is back home at the UA Museum of Art.

After the painting arrived in Tucson, it was brought inside the vault at UA Museum of Art, where it spent two days acclimating to its new environment and waiting to be authenticated.

Nathan Saxton, Exhibitions Specialist, UA Museum of Art, gets a first peek at the returned de Kooning painting.

Wendy Lindsey, UA graduate student (l), assists Nancy Odegaard, in the authentication and inspection process of the recovered de Kooning painting. Odegaard is a world-renowned conservator who works at the Arizona State Museum on the UA campus.

UA staff inspect recovered de Kooning painting for structural weaknesses. . L-R: Nancy Odegaard, Arizona State Museum Head of Preservation; Kristen Schmidt, Registrar, UA Museum of Art; and Nathan Saxton, Exhibitions Specialist, UA Museum of Art

Detail; recovered Willem de Kooning “Woman-Ochre” painting.