“Woman-Ochre,” a Willem de Kooning abstract that was stolen from the University of Arizona Museum of Art in 1985, was recovered last week in Silver City, New Mexico.

An antique and furniture dealer in that city had purchased the painting at an estate sale at a small town near Silver City. When he began to suspect he had an original de Kooning he did some research and called the UA, says Chris Sigurdson, the UA’s vice president of communications.

The university sent a delegation to New Mexico to examine it and brought it back to Tucson. Sigurdson says the painting has been authenticated as the one stolen almost 32 years ago. It is in the process of being restored; a date has not been set for when it will once again be on view at the museum.

While Sigurdson says the university does not release the value of art, another de Kooning painting in the “Woman” series sold for $137.5 million 11 years ago.

And two years ago, a UA spokeswoman said the painting would be worth up to $160 million today.

“Woman-Ochre” was valued at $400,000 when it was stolen the day after Thanksgiving in ‘85, according to Star archives.