The Pigment That Exposed a Century-Old Art Theft

The Pigment That Exposed a Century-Old Art Theft A wrong color busted a decades-long con: a painting that looked like 1887 contained a pigment that wasn’t available until 1994, and that single mismatch blew open a careful scheme. How did a breaker tripping in a storage unit and a single forensic pigment test lead investigators from a donated canvas to a ring of fabricated regional art? In this episode, we follow the discovery, the forensic work, and the chain of events that connected a climate-controlled storage unit in Greensburg to a stolen-and-donated museum piece, asking how a conservator’s technical knowledge and one young investigator’s first case unraveled the operation. Person: Michelle Myers Date: August 11, 2009 Location: Coldstore East storage facility outside Greensburg, Pennsylvania Case: "Woman at Casement" theft and forgery Person: Jason Lane - The breaker in unit 44B tripped twice during the week before Michelle Myers inspected the unit on August 11, 2009. - The painting was attributed as "Woman at Casement, 1887" to Raymond Hartman and entered the Aldwick County Historical Society collection in 2003 as a donation with no provenance. - On the night of June 4, 2008, someone pried open a rear window at the Historical Society and stole "Woman at Casement" plus six smaller works on paper. - Forensic examination in mid-August 2009 revealed a pigment in the dress highlights that did not exist until 1994. - Under raking light and magnification, examiners found a transfer grid of pencil strokes and thin wash lines beneath the paint and zones where craquelure ran in different directions. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].