author
Joseph Ferdinand Keppler
1838–1894
An Austrian-born caricaturist who helped shape American political satire, he founded Puck, the first widely successful U.S. humor weekly built around bold cartoons and sharp commentary. His images brought Gilded Age politics to life with wit, color, and a theatrical sense of drama.
1 Audiobook
A Selection of Cartoons from Puck
by Joseph Ferdinand Keppler
About the author
Born in Vienna in 1838, he studied art before leaving Europe and eventually building his career in the United States. After earlier work in Missouri and contributions to illustrated newspapers, he became known for a lively style that blended caricature, storytelling, and political bite.
His lasting achievement was founding Puck, first in German and then in English. The magazine became famous for its satirical drawings and helped make illustrated political humor a major force in American public life during the late nineteenth century.
He died in New York in 1894, but his influence lasted well beyond his lifetime. His work is still remembered for pushing cartooning toward a bigger, more ambitious style and for showing how humor could be used to comment on power, corruption, and everyday social life.