A painting by Margaret Keane which was stolen in 1972 returned to its rightful owner almost 50 years after the work was stolen from a Honolulu dentist’s office.
The owners had been searching for the painting, known as “Eyes Upon You” since it was taken in 1972, according to Heritage Auctions, which returned the artwork at a news conference. The auction house said it sold the painting for $35,000 at a sale in December on consignment for a family that bought it from a New Jersey art gallery in the 1980s.
The artwork was not listed on the FBI’s National Stolen art file and the family didn’t know that the piece was stolen until they were contacted by Robert Wittman, an art theft investigator hired by the original owners. Wittman is a former FBI special agent and founded the agency’s art crime team.
“Heritage immediately got the painting back from the buyer, they notified the consigner of the situation and worked with us 100%, so the family is thrilled,” Wittman said.
Keane became a pop culture icon in the 1960s and 1970s and was known for her surrealist paintings of people and animals with large, expressive eyes. Margaret was living in Hawaii when she painted “Eyes Upon You”. The portrait depicts seven Hawaiian children of different races and ethnicities — including the dentist’s daughter, who was 7 years old at the time.
“The painting holds a special meaning to our family because our father was fortunate enough to work with the artist and envisioned the concept and images on this unique piece of art. We are grateful that our painting will be returning home to our family,” the original owners said in a statment.
Wittman said the dentist hung the painting in his reception area because he wanted all children to feel comfortable while they waited for their checkups. The painting was taken from the dentist’s office when it was closed for lunch. The thief carried the painting which measures 39 *49 inches down the stairs to avoid being seen by a receptionist near the elevator.
Wittman says that he doesn’t know how the painting got from Hawaii to New Jersey but said stolen art often changes hands several times. He also said it’s common for stolen art to be discovered when someone tries to sell it.
“That’s why art theft is such a ridiculous crime because, at some point, it’s going to come back to the market,” he said. “Even the ‘Mona Lisa’ was stolen, in 1911, and that was recovered within two years.”
Aviva Lehmann, Heritage’s vice president and director of American art, called the painting a “tour de force” and said it was rare to see a Keane painting with so many people in it. It’s the finest Margaret Keane I’ve ever handled and probably the finest Margaret Keane I’ve ever seen based on size, subject, and quality.”