Priya Kapoor
Margaret Keane, born Peggy Doris Hawkins, was an American artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. She mainly painted women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media. Her paintings were originally attributed to her then-husband, Walter Keane, who claimed authorship of her work. Walter even went on to say that he was inspired by the starving, orphaned children he saw during his supposed travels after World War II. However, it was later revealed that Margaret was the true artist behind the paintings, and her story inspired the 2014 film 'Big Eyes' directed by Tim Burton. Interestingly, the popular animated series 'The Powerpuff Girls' which debuted in 1999, also includes a trio of girls with abnormally large eyes inspired by Margaret Keane's art.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of TV Show | Big Eyes |
| Year of Release | 2014 |
| Director | Tim Burton |
| Starring | Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz |
| Inspiration | Margaret Keane's art |
| Plot | The story of Margaret and Walter Keane and the latter taking credit for his wife's work |
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What You'll Learn
Margaret Keane's paintings of big-eyed subjects
Margaret Keane, born Peggy Doris Hawkins, was an American artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. She mainly painted women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media. Her work achieved commercial success through inexpensive reproductions on prints, plates, and cups.
Keane's big-eyed paintings became a profitable fad in the 1950s and 1960s, with her husband Walter Keane taking credit for her work. Walter promoted himself as a talented artist, and the media and movie stars were seduced by his lie. Meanwhile, Margaret worked tirelessly to produce the paintings that would solidify her husband's success.
Margaret and Walter met in the mid-1950s when they were both married with children. Walter was working as a real estate salesman and painting on the side. He later claimed to have given up real estate in 1947. Margaret found him charming, and they married in 1955. It was at this time that Walter began selling Margaret's "big eyes" paintings as his own.
Margaret's work was heavily influenced by Amedeo Modigliani, who is known for his haunting portraits of subjects without eyes. She also credited Van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, and Picasso as influences in the use of color, dimension, and composition.
In 1961, Keane's art was bought and presented to the United Nations Children's Fund by the Prescolite Manufacturing Corporation. Her paintings have since influenced toy designs and cartoons, including the Powerpuff Girls. In 2018, she received a lifetime achievement award at the LA Art Show.
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Walter Keane's false claim to Margaret's work
Margaret Keane, born Peggy Doris Hawkins, was an American artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. She mainly painted women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media. Her work achieved commercial success through inexpensive reproductions on prints, plates, and cups. The artwork was originally attributed to her then-husband, Walter Keane.
Walter and Margaret met in the mid-1950s. At the time, Walter was married and working as a real estate salesman, while painting on the side. Margaret, also married with a child, was a professional portrait painter. Walter was attracted to her large eyes and found her "suave, gregarious, and charming." They married in 1955 in Honolulu.
Soon after their marriage, Walter began selling Margaret's characteristic "big eyes" paintings as his own work. Margaret later explained that she discovered his deception early on in their marriage but remained silent out of fear. She claimed that Walter threatened to have her killed if she revealed the truth.
Walter exhibited the "big eyes" paintings as his own, showcasing them in various locations across the United States. He also developed a myth about himself and, to a lesser extent, Margaret, promoting them as "The Painting Keanes." A large painting commissioned for the 1964–65 World's Fair in New York depicted a procession of doe-eyed children, but it was heavily criticized by art critics and was not displayed at the Fair.
In 1970, Margaret revealed the truth on a radio broadcast, announcing that she was the real creator of the paintings attributed to Walter. To prove her claim, she challenged Walter to a public painting contest, which he did not attend. In 1984, Walter told USA Today that Margaret was only claiming credit because she thought he was dead, which led to Margaret filing a lawsuit for slander. In 1986, during the trial, the judge ordered both Margaret and Walter to create a big-eyed painting in the courtroom. Walter refused, citing a sore shoulder, while Margaret completed her painting in 53 minutes. The jury awarded her $4 million in damages.
The story of Walter and Margaret Keane and their art fraud has been depicted in the 2014 Tim Burton biopic "Big Eyes," which led to a resurgence of interest in Margaret's work.
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The 1964 World's Fair painting scandal
In the 1950s, Margaret Keane, a divorced painter with a young daughter, met Walter Keane, a real estate broker who longed to be an artist. Margaret found Walter "suave, gregarious and charming", and the two married in 1955 in Honolulu.
Margaret, who worked in both acrylic and oil-based paints, had made a name for herself painting women, children, and familiar animals. However, Walter soon began to sell her characteristic "big eyes" paintings as his own work. He promoted "The Painting Keanes", developing a myth about himself and, to a lesser extent, Margaret.
In 1964, Walter Keane was commissioned to create a large painting for the 1964–65 World's Fair in New York. The artwork, titled "Tomorrow Forever", depicted a procession of about 100 doe-eyed waifs from the horizon to the foreground, where they lined up on a staircase. The painting was chosen to grace the Fair's Hall of Education, which was devoted to the future of schools.
However, the artwork caused a scandal. Art critic John Canaday of The New York Times described Keane as a painter celebrated for "grinding out formula pictures of wide-eyed children of such appalling sentimentality that his product has become synonymous among critics [as] the definition of tasteless hack work". Following the review, Robert Moses, the president of the World's Fair, prevented the painting from being displayed at the Fair.
Walter was furious about the criticism and the fact that the painting was taken down. Margaret, on the other hand, felt hurt that people didn't want her artwork and were saying "nasty things" about it. Despite the scandal, pop artist Andy Warhol praised Keane's work, telling Life magazine in 1965, "I think what Keane has done is just terrific".
The true artist behind the paintings was eventually revealed to be Margaret after a courtroom "paint-off" in Hawaii, where Walter refused to participate. The story of Margaret and Walter Keane inspired the 2014 Tim Burton biopic "Big Eyes", starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.
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Tim Burton's 2014 biopic 'Big Eyes'
Tim Burton's 2014 biopic "Big Eyes" is based on the life of artist Margaret Keane and her husband, Walter Keane. The film explores the couple's relationship and the controversial dynamics surrounding the creation and authorship of Margaret's distinctive paintings of subjects with big eyes.
The film is set in the 1950s and 1960s and follows Margaret (played by Amy Adams), a painter known for her unique style of portraying individuals with large, expressive eyes. Margaret's artwork gained popularity, but her husband, Walter Keane (played by Christoph Waltz), claimed credit for these paintings and mass-marketed them as his own. The film delves into the complex emotions Margaret experienced due to the lack of recognition for her work, creating a crisis between her, her husband, and her daughter, who was often the subject of her paintings.
"Big Eyes" showcases Walter's charismatic and domineering personality as he navigates the art world, charms the public, and promotes himself and his artwork. Meanwhile, Margaret is portrayed as a timid artist, locked away in her studio, struggling with her role in perpetuating Walter's deception. The film highlights the power imbalance in their relationship and how Margaret felt trapped in an "ivory tower" while Walter raved "like a rampaging beast," as described by a reviewer.
The biopic also explores the commercial success of Margaret's artwork, with Walter reproducing her paintings on prints, plates, and cups, making them widely accessible and affordable. This commercialisation led to a resurgence of interest in Margaret's work, even after their divorce in the 1960s. The film recreates the dramatic courtroom scene where Margaret and Walter, now divorced, testify about the authorship of the paintings. This climactic moment in the film mirrors the real-life courtroom "paint-off" in Hawaii, where Margaret publicly asserted her artistic ownership.
"Big Eyes" received generally favourable reviews, with particular praise for the performances of Adams and Waltz. The film grossed $29 million worldwide and earned a 72% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It marked a departure from Tim Burton's typical style, showcasing a more mature and intimate tone while retaining his distinctive visual and narrative tropes.
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The Keanes' court battle and divorce
The Keanes' court battle began in 1986 when Margaret Keane sued her ex-husband, Walter Keane, for slander. Walter had suggested that Margaret only claimed authorship of the paintings because she believed he was dead. During their marriage, and for a time afterward, Walter sold Margaret's "big eyes" paintings as his own, making millions of dollars in the process.
The trial lasted three and a half weeks and exposed the truth about Margaret's suffering during the marriage. Margaret acknowledged that she had gone along with the lie because she was afraid that Walter would harm her and her daughter. In court, Margaret painted a young boy with large eyes in just 53 minutes. Walter, who claimed to have a sore shoulder, declined to paint in front of the court.
The jury awarded Margaret $4 million in damages (equivalent to $11 million in 2024). A federal appeals court later upheld the verdict of defamation but overturned the $4 million damage award. Margaret decided not to appeal for the money, saying, "I didn't care about the money. I just wanted to establish the fact that I did the paintings."
The Keanes' divorce took place in 1965, and Walter continued to claim credit for the paintings afterward. Margaret first claimed authorship of the paintings in 1970 during a radio broadcast. She also challenged Walter to a public painting contest, which he did not attend.
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Frequently asked questions
The Powerpuff Girls animated series that debuted in 1999 includes a trio of girls with abnormally large eyes inspired by Margaret Keane’s art.
Margaret Keane was an American artist known for her paintings of subjects with big eyes. She mainly painted women, children, or animals in oil or mixed media.
Margaret Keane's paintings were commercially successful and critically acclaimed. They were reproduced on prints, plates, and cups. However, they were also criticized as formulaic and clichéd.
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