Joby Hickey painting ‘Leeson Street’ stolen by thief on bike

A Dublin gallery has launched an appeal for the recovery of a stolen painting by up-and-coming Irish artist Joby Hickey, collectors of whose work include film director Jim Sheridan and singer Leonard Cohen.

Although priced at a modest €1,200, Leeson Street - a characteristic Dublin traffic scene - is particularly valued due to the emerging prominence of the artist, named by the Buyers' Guide to Irish Arts as "one to watch".

Hickey's work has been coveted in particular by US-based collectors, as well as Tiffany's jewellers in New York, English film director Ken Loach and Irish playwright JP Donleavy.

"We had the painting on display outside the gallery and a man outside ran in and said some guy is after cycling off up the road with your painting," explained a spokeswoman at the Duke Street Gallery, from where the work was stolen at about 3pm on Tuesday.

Circled before pouncing

CCTV footage showed the culprit, described as being in his late 30s to early 40s and with blond hair, a white jacket and rucksack, circling the premises a few times before pouncing.

The heist required him to climb behind a railing and remove wires holding the work and other paintings in place.

"He is very upset," the spokeswoman said of the artist whose father was the famous painter Patrick Hickey. "It was one of his favourites."

Hickey’s idiomatic street scenes depict traffic in the city, illuminated by strong sunlight, in a style he has described as “semi-photo-realism”.

As well as courting the attention of celebrity collectors, he has been exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy.

Stolen art can be difficult to sell on. Generally, other galleries are unlikely destinations as they tend to check the provenance of the work.

Anybody with information as to the whereabouts of the painting is asked to contact gardaí at Pearse Street station.