LAYTON — Bidding was up to almost $600 for the painting a Layton couple had bought for $1 when police called.

It turns out the couple, who did not want to talk to the news media, will be out $1 and the time they spent auctioning the painting, which may have been stolen and is estimated to be worth about $5,000.

The painting by Didier Lourenco, a Spanish-born artist, is titled "Ciclista y Cala," which translates as "Cyclist and Cove," was on its way from a gallery in Texas to California when it turned up missing, Layton Assistant Police Chief Craig Gibson said.

"Ciclista y Cala" is an oil on canvas and measures 53.1 inches by 19.7 inches. It depicts, in a contemporary style, a lone person with a bicycle near a deserted cove, where three sailboats are moored. Another boat, with full sail, is in the background.

Police in Seattle, where the painting's owner, Winn Devon Art Group, is based, contacted Layton police April 20 to find the people who had the painting.

The Layton couple had bought the painting at Market Square Dollar Store in Salt Lake City, Gibson said. They thought the painting was a great deal but not worth keeping and decided to use the auction Web site eBay to sell it.

That's where Winn Devon employees noticed the painting for sale and called police.

Police are speculating the painting was never stolen and just ended up on the wrong truck. They don't believe the Layton couple is guilty of any crime.

Gibson said his department is preparing to ship the painting to Winn Devon in Seattle.

According to the Winn Devon Web site, Lourenco had his first art exhibition in 1988 at age 20 after having learned the art of lithography from his father.

He won awards at a young painters' competition in Barcelona and in 1995 moved into his own studio in Barcelona.

He travels to Paris, Lisbon and New York looking for inspiration, according to the art group's Web site.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com