Margaret Keane (American, 1927-2022), Yellow Cat, Green Eyes

Oil on Masonite, 1994, signed and dated at lower right, framed.

Panel 5 1/4 x 7 in.; Frame dimensions 12 1/4 x 14 in.

From the Collection of the late Betty Jo Royster, Durham, North Carolina

Margaret Keane was an American artist renowned for her distinctive and emotionally evocative paintings of children with enormous, expressive eyes. Her style, often described as "big-eyed art," became widely popular in the 1960s and helped spark a mass-market movement of sentimental figurative art. Keane’s early life in Tennessee and Louisiana was marked by a passion for art from a young age. After studying at the Traphagen School of Design in New York, she developed her signature style, which blended melancholy, innocence, and surrealism. Her work gained mass exposure under the name of her then-husband, Walter Keane, who fraudulently claimed credit for her paintings for years.

In a dramatic turn of events, Margaret Keane revealed the truth in the 1970s and successfully sued Walter in a highly publicized court case where she proved authorship by painting one of her trademark portraits in court. After reclaiming her identity, she continued to paint prolifically and became a symbol of personal and artistic empowerment. Her legacy was further cemented with the release of Tim Burton’s 2014 film Big Eyes, which brought renewed attention to her story and work. Keane’s paintings are celebrated for their emotive power and unique vision, leaving an enduring mark on the world of pop and outsider art.

Very good estate condition.