Who is Margaret Keane?

The woman behind the iconic big eyes

A prolific artist

Margaret Keane is an American artist known for her distinctive paintings of doe-eyed children. Born in 1927, she has produced over 10,000 paintings throughout her career, many of which have become iconic symbols of the 1950s and 1960s.

Keane's unique style is characterized by large, wide-eyed children with exaggerated features and haunting expressions. Her paintings often depict children in idyllic settings, surrounded by nature and bright colors. The large eyes of her subjects are particularly striking, giving them an otherworldly and almost ethereal appearance.

A controversial figure

While Keane's artwork has gained widespread recognition, her personal life and career have been marked by controversy. In the 1960s, her husband, Walter Keane, claimed to have painted her famous "big-eyed" paintings. This led to a bitter legal battle that eventually revealed Margaret as the true artist. The case made national headlines and brought Keane's work into the public eye.

Keane's story has been the subject of books, films, and documentaries. She has continued to paint throughout her life, and her work remains popular with collectors and art enthusiasts around the world.