The story of a grandiose scandal with "big eyes", or one of the greatest scams in the art of the 20th century

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Pop art that appeared out of nowhere in the late 50s of the last century, and invented a new direction in painting American artist Walter Keane for a whole decade he became the "king of modern art", the most famous art artist of the world scale. Nothing, it would seem, could destroy the empire created by the artist. But suddenly shocking facts surfaced, and the whole world froze in anticipation of an answer to the question: who is really behind the paintings depicting touching and sentimental children and women with exaggerated "big eyes" that look like aliens.

Who is the real genius after all?

Margaret and Walter Keane, having met at an exhibition in 1955, soon got married. By that time, Margot was divorced, had a young daughter and was an aspiring artist. And Walter was a very talented entrepreneur, so he immediately calculated his benefits from this marriage. He enthusiastically responded to his wife's artwork, inspired to create new ones.

Soon Walter, with the permission of his wife, began to sell paintings near the entrance to one of the clubs in San Francisco. Trade made good money. For the time being, Margot was completely in the dark and did not know what her husband was up to, what kind of scam he had dragged her into. And when everything surfaced, the artist was shocked: Walter, selling her paintings, passed off as his works.

Margot tried to defend her right to authorship, but her husband said that the scam had gone too far, and exposure threatened with lawsuits. For a long time he tried to persuade his wife not to publicize the fact of pseudo-authorship. One of the compelling arguments that society does not perceive a woman in the field of art and will never accept, forced Margaret to agree to silence.

In the first half of the 60s, there was a peak in the popularity and demand for paintings written by Margot. Reproductions of her creations were sold in millions of copies, and the heroes of the paintings were depicted wherever possible: on calendars, postcards and even kitchen aprons. The originals of the paintings themselves were sold out at lightning speed for a lot of money. About Walter Keane, posing as the author, then they said: “… he sells paintings. And pictures of paintings. And postcards of pictures of pictures. The impostor made a decisive bet on the art of public relations and was right.

And the artist worked on her masterpieces for 16 hours every day, while her husband, reveling in fame and recognition, with constant connections on the side, led an idle lifestyle.

In 1964, Walter demanded that Margot create an extraordinary creation that would perpetuate his name in world art. Margot had no choice but to create such a masterpiece. It was a huge canvas "Tomorrow is Forever". It shocked everyone with its tragedy: a whole column of walking children of different races with sad faces and tremendous eyes. This work was regarded extremely negatively by art critics. Margot's husband was furious.

In the tenth year of marriage, Margaret, tired of being a hostage, divorced Walter, vowing to continue painting for him. She went to Hawaii, where she became one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The new life allowed her to rethink herself and her work.

And in 1970 she marries the writer Dan McGuire for the third time. And in the same year Margaret decides to take an unpredictable step: she tells the whole story with "big eyes" to the press. Walter Keane is furious and furious, insults and threatens his ex-wife with violence.

The proceedings were carried out in court, and the whole world then, with bated breath, was waiting for a denouement. The judge resorted to the simplest way to judge the former spouses, demanding that the plaintiff and the defendant paint the child's face with characteristic eyes. What Margot did great: the artist proved the authorship of her works right on the process, drawing a baby with big eyes in just 53 minutes. Walter refused, citing shoulder pain.

According to the statement of claim, Walter Keane was supposed to pay his wife four million dollars in compensation. However, for another 20 years, he filed counterclaims against his ex-wife, accusing her of libel. As a result, in 1990 the Federal Court of Appeal overturned the compensation awarded.

Margaret Keane did not challenge the court's decision, she said. - And she added:

Since then, not so sad and melancholic children and women have already looked from Margot's paintings, on their faces you could already see the shadow of a smile. Over the years, interest in Margaret's paintings gradually began to fade. The audience, fed up with "big eyes", was looking for new idols in art. And the best works of the artist found their refuge in contemporary art museums in the USA and many capitals of the world. Margaret Keane's big eyes sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction togas.

In 2015, American director and animator Tim Burton, a big fan of Margaret Keane's work, shot a feature film. The biography of the artist Margaret Keane formed the basis for the script. A truly amazing story has resulted in a stunning film.

The announcement of the movie "Big Eyes" directed by Tim Burton in the video:

This year in September Margaret will turn 90 years old, she lives with her husband in North Carolina in the USA, and sometimes also paints her paintings with "big eyes."

The images of children at all times worried artists, they found their own unique approaches and methods to depicting children's images. AND expressive and realistic portraits of children the Argentine artist Francisco Masseria, are proof of this.