Margaret Keane (b. 1927)

The Veiled

Circa 1960

An unsigned oil on canvas attributed to Tennessee and Hawaii artist Margaret Keane. In the 1950s and 1960s, Keane's work was hijacked and, in some cases, signed by her husband who took full credit for her paintings during this period until their divorce in 1965. One version of their bizarre story was the subject of the 2014 movie 'Big Eyes'. While this work is unsigned, there are clear similarities between the artist's materials used for this unsigned work, and lot number 11 in our December 3rd, 2017 auction, a signed work by Margaret Keane. The canvas and stretchers are identical. Each stretcher frame is manufactured the same on both paintings and both are stamped with the same circular markings and numerals pressed into the wood to indicate size (example: an 8 impressed top and bottom and 22 impressed each side for this work that measures 22 x 8 inches). And, there are similarities between the frames, many of which were made by Walter Keane at this time. On a related note, the brass tag that identifies the artist and provides the title of this image is identical to brass tags found on other Keane paintings. Both this work and the signed Keane painting from the December 3, 2017 auction have the same provenance of The Sam and Rie Bloomfield Collection Foundation bequest to a Kansas University.

The work itself measures 22 x 8 inches with a framed size of 29.75 x 15.5 inches.

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Very good original untouched condition. There are no issues of damage, inpainting or repair.