Margaret Keane (born 1927) – an American artist best known for her distinctive style of painting featuring wide-eyed figures, often depicting children or animals. Her works, which evoke a blend of melancholy and innocence, became iconic in the mid-20th century.
Table of Contents
Art Style:
Margaret Keane’s paintings are characterized by figures with large, haunting eyes, which she believed were “windows to the soul.”
Her subjects often had a whimsical, surreal, and poignant quality, blending kitsch and fine art elements.
Fame and Controversy:
Margaret’s works gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, sold primarily as mass-market prints and merchandise.
For years, her then-husband, Walter Keane, claimed credit for her art. He was a skilled promoter but not a painter. Margaret eventually revealed that she was the true artist behind the work.
Legal Battle:
In 1986, Margaret sued Walter for defamation and successfully proved she was the creator of the paintings. In court, she demonstrated her skills by painting a wide-eyed portrait, while Walter declined to do so.
Legacy:
Margaret Keane’s story and work were brought to a wider audience through the 2014 film Big Eyes, directed by Tim Burton and starring Amy Adams as Margaret. Below is how the movie goes (spoiler alert!).
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Set in the 1950s and 1960s, Big Eyes begins with Margaret Ulbrich (Amy Adams), a timid and talented artist, leaving her first husband with her young daughter, Jane. Seeking a fresh start, Margaret moves to San Francisco, where she struggles to make a living by painting portraits at outdoor art fairs. Margaret’s work is instantly recognizable for its distinctive style: figures, especially children, with oversized, expressive eyes.
Meeting Walter Keane
At an art fair, Margaret meets Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz), a charismatic and smooth-talking aspiring artist who sells Parisian street scenes. Walter is immediately drawn to Margaret and her work. They strike up a romance, and Walter proposes marriage, partly to provide Margaret with stability and to help her retain custody of Jane. Margaret accepts, and they soon marry.
Rise of the Keane Art Phenomenon
Walter, a shrewd and ambitious promoter, tries to sell both his and Margaret’s art. However, while his Parisian landscapes fail to gain attention, Margaret’s paintings of big-eyed children attract public interest. Walter seizes an opportunity to showcase the paintings at a nightclub, but when patrons assume he is the artist, he takes credit for Margaret’s work. At first, Margaret is taken aback, but Walter convinces her it is easier to sell the art under his name because buyers may not respect a woman artist.
The deception snowballs as the paintings grow increasingly popular. Walter’s aggressive marketing tactics and flair for self-promotion propel the “Keane” name into the mainstream. He uses innovative approaches like printing posters and mass-producing merchandise to make the artwork widely accessible. Margaret, meanwhile, works tirelessly in secret, painting in their home studio to keep up with demand. The Keane paintings become a cultural sensation, with celebrities and the public alike clamoring for them.
Margaret’s Isolation and Struggles
As the popularity of the paintings soars, Margaret begins to feel trapped. Walter’s controlling nature emerges, and he insists on maintaining the illusion that he is the artist. Margaret is forced to paint in isolation, unable to take credit for her work. She becomes increasingly isolated, struggling with the ethical dilemma of perpetuating the lie and the emotional toll of erasing her identity as an artist.
Walter’s temper and manipulative behavior escalate, especially when Margaret questions their arrangement. Despite her growing unease, Margaret stays silent, partly out of fear for her daughter’s stability and her own security. Walter justifies the deceit by claiming it is necessary for their success, dismissing Margaret’s concerns.
Cracks in the Facade
As the years pass, cracks begin to appear in Walter’s carefully crafted persona. Art critics ridicule the Keane paintings as lowbrow kitsch, calling them overly sentimental and commercially driven. Walter responds with bravado, dismissing the criticism while continuing to bask in the fame and fortune generated by Margaret’s art.
Margaret, meanwhile, grows increasingly disillusioned. She finds solace in painting private works that explore her own feelings, but her frustration and resentment toward Walter continue to build. The strain on their marriage deepens as Walter’s lies grow more elaborate, and his erratic behavior becomes harder to ignore.
The Turning Point
The turning point comes when Margaret discovers Walter has been forging her signature on the back of the paintings, a move that solidifies her resolve to break free from his control. Around the same time, Walter pressures her into lying during a public interview, claiming she uses assistants to create her art. Margaret, overwhelmed by guilt and anger, begins to see Walter as a fraud who has exploited her talent for his gain.
Margaret and Jane eventually leave Walter and relocate to Hawaii. There, Margaret has a personal awakening. She became a Jehovah’s Witness and finds the strength to reclaim her identity, crediting her faith and reading the Bible for giving her the courage to speak the truth about her art. In 1970, Margaret makes a public revelation during a radio interview, confessing that she is the true artist behind the Keane paintings. Walter vehemently denies her claims, and the media is thrown into a frenzy.
The Legal Battle
Walter refuses to acknowledge the truth and files a defamation lawsuit against Margaret and the newspaper that published her story. Margaret countersues for slander. The case goes to court, and the trial becomes a spectacle, with both sides presenting their arguments.
In a dramatic and pivotal moment, the judge challenges both Margaret and Walter to paint a big-eyed figure in the courtroom to prove their claims. Margaret accepts the challenge and creates a painting on the spot, while Walter declines, citing a shoulder injury. The judge rules in Margaret’s favor, officially recognizing her as the creator of the Keane paintings.
Conclusion and Legacy
The film concludes with Margaret finally reclaiming her identity as an artist and receiving the recognition she deserves. Walter, disgraced and financially ruined, fades into obscurity. Margaret resumes painting under her own name and finds peace in her later years.
Big Eyes ends on a triumphant note, celebrating Margaret’s resilience and the power of truth. The film highlights the importance of artistic integrity and sheds light on the challenges faced by women in a male-dominated industry.
Keane’s art continues to be celebrated for its emotional resonance and unique style.
Edit: June 2022 – Later Life
Margaret lived a quieter life in her later years, continuing to paint and enjoying recognition for her contributions to art.
She passed away on June 26, 2022 at the age of 94.
Her life is a compelling story of resilience, creativity, and the fight for artistic integrity.
