Big Eye Keane Paintings

What you need to know

What’s There

Margaret Keane painted the big-eyed children that became one of the most reproduced art phenomena of the 1960s. For years her then-husband Walter Keane claimed the paintings as his own work. After their 1965 divorce, Margaret publicly declared in 1970 that she was the actual artist. The matter was resolved in 1986 during a defamation lawsuit, when a federal judge in Honolulu ordered a courtroom paint-off. Margaret produced a big-eyed canvas in under an hour. Walter declined, citing a sore shoulder. Margaret won and was awarded $4 million in damages (Walter quickly filed for bankruptcy). Tim Burton’s 2014 film “Big Eyes” dramatized the story.

Margaret Keane returned to California and opened the Keane Eyes Gallery in San Francisco in 1992. The gallery holds the largest collection of her work. She died in 2022 at age 94.

Original Keane paintings also surface periodically at Bay Area auctions, estate sales, and antique shops. Reproductions and prints are common in San Francisco vintage shops.

Visiting

Cost: Free to view at galleries. Prints start around $20. Originals run into the thousands.

Hours: Varies. Check the Keane Eyes Gallery website for current hours.

Best time to go: Weekdays.

What to know: The gallery has changed locations over the years. Confirm the address before visiting.

Getting There

Transit: Varies by current gallery location. Most central SF galleries are accessible by Muni Metro or major bus lines.

Parking: Varies by current location. Garage parking is generally easier than street parking in central SF.

Walking: Combine with other neighborhood sights once you’ve confirmed the current gallery address.