Margaret Keane Art
American, 1927-2022
Margaret Keane was born Peggy Doris Hawkins on September 15, 1927, in Nashville, Tennessee. When she was two years old, her eardrum was permanently damaged during a mastoid operation. Unable to hear properly, Keane learned to watch the eyes of the person talking to her to understand them.
Keane started drawing as a child. At age 10 she took classes at the Watkins Institute in Nashville. She created her first oil painting of two little girls — one crying and one laughing — when she was 10 years old and gave the work to her grandmother. Keane became well known at the local church for her sketches of angels with big eyes and floppy wings.
At age 18 Keane attended the Traphagen School of Design in New York City for a year. She initially earned money by painting clothing and baby cribs in the 1950s until she finally began painting portraits. Early on Keane experimented with kitsch. She worked in both acrylics and oil-based paints and limited the subjects of her artwork to women, children and familiar animals (cats, dogs and horses).
Keane's paintings are recognizable by the oversized doe-like eyes of her subjects. She said she was always interested in the eyes and used to draw them in her school books. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when she started to create portraits of children.
"Children do have big eyes,” Keane said. “When I'm doing a portrait, the eyes are the most expressive part of the face. And they just got bigger and bigger and bigger."
Keane focused on the eyes as they better illuminate the inner person. The artist cited Modigliani's work as a major influence on the way she had painted women since 1959. Other artists who influenced her use of color, dimension and composition include Van Gogh, Picasso and Klimt. She was named a Fellow of the Society of Western Artists after exhibiting in three Annual Juried Shows in the M.H. De Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco.
Keane's works are in collections all over the world. Public collections include the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Madrid, the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, the Tennessee Fine Arts Museum in Nashville and more.
Find original Margaret Keane paintings and prints on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Lucille Lucas Gallery)
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Artist: Margaret Keane
San Francisco, Girl with Mission Dolores original lithograph by Margaret Keane
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San Francisco, Girl with Mission Dolores is an original lithograph by Margaret Keane c. 1980. A young girl in a head scarf is seen in front of the Mission Dolores in San Fr...
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Boy in Red Shirt is an original lithograph by Margaret Keane c. 1980. A young boy in a red shirt is seen in front of a three story building in a city on a blue sky day. An ori...
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A fine modernist portrait of a woman by American artist Margaret Hawkins Keane (1927-2022). Keane was born in Nashville,TN, and attributes her deep respect for the Bible and inspirations of her artwork to the relationship with her grandmother. In the 1960’s, while married to her second husband Walter, she was forced to paint and sell under his name, but during their divorce proceedings, she was able to prove that the paintings were actually done by her and the court determined that she was able to paint under her own name again. She became known for painting women and children with large black sad eyes...
Category
Mid-20th Century Modern Margaret Keane Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
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This artwork "San Francisco, Girl with Mission Dolores" is a color lithograph by noted American artist Margaret Keane, b.1927. It is hand signed and numbered XXXIV/C in pencil by the artist. The image size is 19.25 x 15.75 inches, framed size is 33.75 x 29 inches. Custom framed in wooden silver frame, with creme color matting and black color spacer. It is in excellent condition.
About the artist.
Margaret D. H. Keane was born 1927 in Tennessee, and attributes her deep respect for the Bible and inspirations of her artwork to the relationship with her grandmother. She later became one of Jehovah's Witnesses, which she said changed her life for the better.
In the 1960s, Margaret Keane's artwork was sold under the name of her husband, Walter Keane. He locked her in a room and forced her to paint,while taking credit for her work. Conflict over that issue was cited as one of the reasons they divorced. Neither wanting to relinquish rights to the artwork, Walter and Margaret's divorce proceedings went all the way to federal court. At the hearing, Margaret created a painting in front of the judge to prove that she was the artist. Walter declined to paint before the court, citing a sore shoulder. In 1986, the courts sided with her, enabling her to paint under her own name.
Her works while living in her husband's shadow tended to depict sad children in a dark setting, but after divorcing, moving to Hawaii, and becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, her paintings took on a happier, brighter style. Keane is a fixture in popular culture. Some of her well-known fans over the years have included actresses Joan Crawford and Natalie Wood, whom she painted portraits of; filmmaker Tim Burton, who commissioned Keane to paint Lisa Marie; and animator Craig McCracken, whose characters the Powerpuff Girls are based on Keane's 'waifs'; additionally the Girls' schoolteacher is named "Ms. Keane".
Cultural references
• The American television comedy show Saturday Night Live once had a skit that featured her work, during the time when it was thought to be by her husband, as a parody of the reaction against modern art (e.g., Cubism or the New York Armory Show). "People don't look like that!" one comedian shrieks, before the picture in question was shown to the camera and audience as the punch line.
• In Woody Allen's 1973 comedy Sleeper, the people of the future consider Keane to be one of the greatest artists in history, one of many references mocking the popular culture of the seventies.
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien has "bumper" art in her style depicting a glum Conan O'Brien at his desk, next to a dog.
• Weird Al Yankovic's song Velvet Elvis, in which the narrator says he needs "no pictures of Mexican kids with those really big eyes or dogs playing poker...
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This artwork "San Francisco, Girl with Coit Tower" is a color lithograph by noted American artist Margaret Keane, b.1927. It is hand signed and numbered LXV/C in pencil by the artist. The image size is 19 x 15.5 inches, framed size is 33.75 x 29.25 inches. Custom framed in wooden rubbed/crackled gold leaf frame, with creme color matting and gold color spacer, see picture #1 and 7 for frame finish detail. It is in excellent condition.
About the artist.
Margaret D. H. Keane was born 1927 in Tennessee, and attributes her deep respect for the Bible and inspirations of her artwork to the relationship with her grandmother. She later became one of Jehovah's Witnesses, which she said changed her life for the better.
In the 1960s, Margaret Keane's artwork was sold under the name of her husband, Walter Keane. He locked her in a room and forced her to paint,while taking credit for her work. Conflict over that issue was cited as one of the reasons they divorced. Neither wanting to relinquish rights to the artwork, Walter and Margaret's divorce proceedings went all the way to federal court. At the hearing, Margaret created a painting in front of the judge to prove that she was the artist. Walter declined to paint before the court, citing a sore shoulder. In 1986, the courts sided with her, enabling her to paint under her own name.
Her works while living in her husband's shadow tended to depict sad children in a dark setting, but after divorcing, moving to Hawaii, and becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, her paintings took on a happier, brighter style. Keane is a fixture in popular culture. Some of her well-known fans over the years have included actresses Joan Crawford and Natalie Wood, whom she painted portraits of; filmmaker Tim Burton, who commissioned Keane to paint Lisa Marie; and animator Craig McCracken, whose characters the Powerpuff Girls are based on Keane's 'waifs'; additionally the Girls' schoolteacher is named "Ms. Keane".
Cultural references
• The American television comedy show Saturday Night Live once had a skit that featured her work, during the time when it was thought to be by her husband, as a parody of the reaction against modern art (e.g., Cubism or the New York Armory Show). "People don't look like that!" one comedian shrieks, before the picture in question was shown to the camera and audience as the punch line.
• In Woody Allen's 1973 comedy Sleeper, the people of the future consider Keane to be one of the greatest artists in history, one of many references mocking the popular culture of the seventies.
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien has "bumper" art in her style depicting a glum Conan O'Brien at his desk, next to a dog.
• Weird Al Yankovic's song Velvet Elvis, in which the narrator says he needs "no pictures of Mexican kids with those really big eyes or dogs playing...
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This artwork titled "Japanese Princes" is a color lithograph by noted American artist Margaret Keane, b.1927. It is hand signed and numbered 228/300 in pencil by the artist. The image size is 28.5 x 18 inches, framed size is 40.75 x 32.75 inches. Custom framed in wooden rustic rubbed black and gold frame, with light beige matting and gold color spacer. It is in excellent condition.
About the artist.
Margaret D. H. Keane was born 1927 in Tennessee, and attributes her deep respect for the Bible and inspirations of her artwork to the relationship with her grandmother. She later became one of Jehovah's Witnesses, which she said changed her life for the better.
In the 1960s, Margaret Keane's artwork was sold under the name of her husband, Walter Keane. He locked her in a room and forced her to paint,while taking credit for her work. Conflict over that issue was cited as one of the reasons they divorced. Neither wanting to relinquish rights to the artwork, Walter and Margaret's divorce proceedings went all the way to federal court. At the hearing, Margaret created a painting in front of the judge to prove that she was the artist. Walter declined to paint before the court, citing a sore shoulder. In 1986, the courts sided with her, enabling her to paint under her own name.
Her works while living in her husband's shadow tended to depict sad children in a dark setting, but after divorcing, moving to Hawaii, and becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, her paintings took on a happier, brighter style. Keane is a fixture in popular culture. Some of her well-known fans over the years have included actresses Joan Crawford and Natalie Wood, whom she painted portraits of; filmmaker Tim Burton, who commissioned Keane to paint Lisa Marie; and animator Craig McCracken, whose characters the Powerpuff Girls are based on Keane's 'waifs'; additionally the Girls' schoolteacher is named "Ms. Keane".
Cultural references
• The American television comedy show Saturday Night Live once had a skit that featured her work, during the time when it was thought to be by her husband, as a parody of the reaction against modern art (e.g., Cubism or the New York Armory Show). "People don't look like that!" one comedian shrieks, before the picture in question was shown to the camera and audience as the punch line.
• In Woody Allen's 1973 comedy Sleeper, the people of the future consider Keane to be one of the greatest artists in history, one of many references mocking the popular culture of the seventies.
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien has "bumper" art in her style depicting a glum Conan O'Brien at his desk, next to a dog.
• Weird Al Yankovic's song Velvet Elvis, in which the narrator says he needs "no pictures of Mexican kids with those really big eyes or dogs playing poker...
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Late 20th Century American Realist Margaret Keane Art
Materials
Lithograph
Margaret Keane art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Margaret Keane art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Margaret Keane in lithograph, oil paint, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Margaret Keane art, so small editions measuring 16 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Victor Delfin, Frank Mason, and Jacques Hnizdovsky. Margaret Keane art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $950 and tops out at $34,000, while the average work can sell for $1,200.
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Questions About Margaret Keane Art
- Is Keane a real artist?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024Yes, Keane is a real artist. Margaret Keane was born Peggy Doris Hawkins in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 15, 1927. At age 18, Keane attended the Traphagen School of Design in New York City for a year. Early on, Keane experimented with kitsch. She began painting her signature oversized "Keane eyes" when creating portraits of children. She said she was always interested in the eyes and used to draw them in her school books. Her life inspired the 2014 film Big Eyes. Find a selection of Margaret Keane art on 1stDibs.
- Was Keane a real artist?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024Yes, Keane was a real artist. She was born Peggy Doris Hawkins on September 15, 1927, in Nashville, Tennessee. When she was two years old, her eardrum was permanently damaged during a mastoid operation. Unable to hear properly, Keane learned to watch the eyes of the person talking to her to understand them, and Keane's paintings are recognizable by the oversized doe-like eyes of her subjects. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when creating portraits of children. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Margaret Keane art.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 26, 2024The real artist of Big Eyes is Margaret Keane. Keane's paintings are recognizable by the oversized, doe-like eyes of her subjects. She said she was always interested in eyes and used to draw them in her school books. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when she started to create portraits of children. "Children do have big eyes,” Keane said. “When I'm doing a portrait, the eyes are the most expressive part of the face. And they just got bigger and bigger and bigger." On 1stDibs, find a range of Margaret Keane art.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024How much the Tomorrow Forever painting is worth is unknown, as there are no recent publicly available sales records for the work. However, Margaret Keane's paintings have often sold for tens of thousands of dollars. For example, her Portrait of Zsa Zsa Gabor fetched a price of $45,000 at auction in 2018. Generally, Keane is known for painting her subjects with oversized doe-like eyes. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when she started to create portraits of children. Shop a range of Margaret Keane art on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024The real story behind Big Eyes is the life of artist Margaret Keane. She was born Peggy Doris Hawkins on September 15, 1927, in Nashville, Tennessee. When she was two years old, her eardrum was permanently damaged during a mastoid operation. Keane learned to watch the eyes of the person talking to her to understand them, influencing the drawings he began creating as a child. At age 10, she took classes at the Watkins Institute in Nashville. At age 18, she attended the Traphagen School of Design in New York City for a year. She initially earned money by painting clothing and baby cribs in the 1950s until she began painting portraits. Early on, Keane experimented with kitsch. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when she started to create portraits of children. Keane's works are now in collections all over the world, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Madrid, the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo and the Memphis Brooks Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of Margaret Keane art.
- Are Big Eyes paintings real?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024Yes, Big Eyes paintings are real. They are the work of artist Margaret Keane, whose life inspired the 2014 film Big Eyes. Her paintings are recognizable by the oversized, doe-like eyes of her subjects. She said she was always interested in the eyes and used to draw them in her school books. She began painting her signature "Keane eyes" when she started creating portraits of children. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Margaret Keane art.