Joseph Ferdinand Keppler

Born in Vienna on February 1, 1838, Joseph Ferdinand Keppler trained in art in Austria before emigrating to the United States in the late 1860s. After spending time in St. Louis, he built a reputation as a gifted caricaturist whose drawings mixed humor, strong draftsmanship, and pointed political commentary.

Keppler became famous as the founder of Puck, the influential satirical magazine that began in the 1870s and became known for its lavish color cartoons. Through Puck, he helped shape American political cartooning, taking aim at political machines, scandals, and powerful public figures with images that were entertaining but also sharply critical.

He died on February 4, 1894, in New York City, but his work left a lasting mark on American illustration and journalism. Today he is remembered as one of the key figures who made the political cartoon a major part of public debate in the late nineteenth century.