Joseph Ferdinand Keppler (February 1, 1838 – February 19, 1894[1]) was an Austrian-born American cartoonist and caricaturist who greatly influenced the growth of satirical cartooning in the United States.
He was born in Vienna. His parents were bakers, and his talent is said to have first manifested itself in his cake decorations.[2] He studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna[3] and later contributed comic drawings to the Vienna humor magazine Kikeriki (Cock-a-doodle-do).[3]
Self portrait, 1893
Unable to make a living from his art in Vienna he joined a theatrical troupe as a scene painter and then as a comedian, traveling with them in the Tyrol and Italy. His ability to restore old paintings gained for him some extra money in some of the monasteries on the way. He was a charming companion, an excellent story-teller, and immediately popular wherever he went. In 1864, he married the Viennese actress Minna Rubens.[4] Meanwhile, his father, who had come to the States to escape the European Revolutions of 1848, had established himself as the proprietor of a general store in a little town in northern Missouri. Hearing glowing accounts from America, young Keppler and his wife decided to emigrate.[3]
St. LouisEdit
After visiting his father, Keppler made his way to St. Louis in 1867 and renewed his career as an actor. In 1869, he helped launch the German-American cartoon weekly, Die Vehme, which lasted for a year. It was followed by Frank und Frei, which lasted six months. In March 1871, he attempted another cartoon weekly, Puck, which lasted until August 1872.[5]
After the death of his wife in 1870,[4] Keppler married Pauline Pfau in 1871, the union producing three children, Udo, Irma and Olga.[2][6]
New York CityEdit
The Pirate Publisher— An International Burlesque that has the Longest Run on Record (1886), satirizing copyright laws that operated in single countries only, and thus permitted newly published works from one country to be published in another without paying the authors"Our Mutual Friend", January 7, 1885, cover warning of the dangers of color additives used in candy
In the fall of 1872, he moved with his wife and son to New York city and was soon working for Frank Leslie's publishing house. Starting in 1874, he began contributing political cartoons to Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. In September 1876 he and fellow Frank Leslie employee Adolph Schwarzmann resurrected Puck for the New York German-American audience and then introduced an English-language version the following year. Keppler's main delight was in producing cartoons criticizing President Ulysses S. Grant, and the political corruption of his administration. His cartoons were famous for their caustic wit, generating much publicity for Puck and pioneering the use of color lithography for caricature.[7] Much of his success was due to a clever adaptation of classical and historical subjects to his criticisms of modern life.[8][9]
Keppler's opinions and wit endeared him to large sections of the American public. His illustrations cast light on complex politics, making issues clear to the average voter. Puck did not shy away from criticism of the administration and by influencing the perceptions of the voting public, certainly altered the course of American political history.[10]
In one of his cartoons entitled "Looking Backward" (Puck, January 11, 1893), he depicted a group of nouveau riche hypocritally protesting the arrival of an eastern European immigrant—notwithstanding the fact that the "protesters" themselves had been immigrants or sons of immigrants.[11]
Initially Keppler drew all the Puck cartoons. When his workload became too much, he made use of several talented artists including Frederick Burr Opper, James A. Wales, Bernhard Gillam, Eugene Zimmerman, C. J. Taylor, and others.
ChicagoEdit
In 1893, he took charge of a special World's FairPuck published weekly for six months on the grounds of the World's Columbian Exposition. The stress and exhaustion of that experience damaged his health, and he died the next year in New York.[4]
Udo KepplerEdit
Keppler's son, Udo J. Keppler (1872–1956), was also a political cartoonist and co-owner for Puck magazine, a collector of Indian artifacts and an Indian activist. He had his name changed to Joseph Keppler Jr. in honor of his father. He was an honorary chief of the Seneca nation.[12]
ReferencesEdit
^"Encyclopædia Britannica". Britannica.com. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
^ ab"NY Times obituary" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
^ abcAlbert Bernhardt Faust, The German Element in the United States, 1909, v. 2, ch. 7, p. 363.
^Catherine Palmer Mitchell (1928–1990). "Keppler, Joseph". Dictionary of American Biography. Vol. V, Part 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 352–3.
^"Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild". Immigrantships.net. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
joseph, keppler, joseph, ferdinand, keppler, february, 1838, february, 1894, austrian, born, american, cartoonist, caricaturist, greatly, influenced, growth, satirical, cartooning, united, states, photo, portrait, 1880bornjoseph, ferdinand, keppler, 1838, febr. Joseph Ferdinand Keppler February 1 1838 February 19 1894 1 was an Austrian born American cartoonist and caricaturist who greatly influenced the growth of satirical cartooning in the United States Joseph KepplerPhoto portrait 1880BornJoseph Ferdinand Keppler 1838 02 01 February 1 1838Vienna Austrian EmpireDiedFebruary 19 1894 1894 02 19 aged 56 New York City U S Known forCartooningNotable workPuck Contents 1 Early life 2 St Louis 3 New York City 4 Chicago 5 Udo Keppler 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksEarly life EditHe was born in Vienna His parents were bakers and his talent is said to have first manifested itself in his cake decorations 2 He studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna 3 and later contributed comic drawings to the Vienna humor magazine Kikeriki Cock a doodle do 3 nbsp Self portrait 1893Unable to make a living from his art in Vienna he joined a theatrical troupe as a scene painter and then as a comedian traveling with them in the Tyrol and Italy His ability to restore old paintings gained for him some extra money in some of the monasteries on the way He was a charming companion an excellent story teller and immediately popular wherever he went In 1864 he married the Viennese actress Minna Rubens 4 Meanwhile his father who had come to the States to escape the European Revolutions of 1848 had established himself as the proprietor of a general store in a little town in northern Missouri Hearing glowing accounts from America young Keppler and his wife decided to emigrate 3 St Louis EditAfter visiting his father Keppler made his way to St Louis in 1867 and renewed his career as an actor In 1869 he helped launch the German American cartoon weekly Die Vehme which lasted for a year It was followed by Frank und Frei which lasted six months In March 1871 he attempted another cartoon weekly Puck which lasted until August 1872 5 After the death of his wife in 1870 4 Keppler married Pauline Pfau in 1871 the union producing three children Udo Irma and Olga 2 6 New York City Edit nbsp The Pirate Publisher An International Burlesque that has the Longest Run on Record 1886 satirizing copyright laws that operated in single countries only and thus permitted newly published works from one country to be published in another without paying the authors nbsp Our Mutual Friend January 7 1885 cover warning of the dangers of color additives used in candyIn the fall of 1872 he moved with his wife and son to New York city and was soon working for Frank Leslie s publishing house Starting in 1874 he began contributing political cartoons to Frank Leslie s Illustrated Newspaper In September 1876 he and fellow Frank Leslie employee Adolph Schwarzmann resurrected Puck for the New York German American audience and then introduced an English language version the following year Keppler s main delight was in producing cartoons criticizing President Ulysses S Grant and the political corruption of his administration His cartoons were famous for their caustic wit generating much publicity for Puck and pioneering the use of color lithography for caricature 7 Much of his success was due to a clever adaptation of classical and historical subjects to his criticisms of modern life 8 9 Keppler s opinions and wit endeared him to large sections of the American public His illustrations cast light on complex politics making issues clear to the average voter Puck did not shy away from criticism of the administration and by influencing the perceptions of the voting public certainly altered the course of American political history 10 In one of his cartoons entitled Looking Backward Puck January 11 1893 he depicted a group of nouveau riche hypocritally protesting the arrival of an eastern European immigrant notwithstanding the fact that the protesters themselves had been immigrants or sons of immigrants 11 Initially Keppler drew all the Puck cartoons When his workload became too much he made use of several talented artists including Frederick Burr Opper James A Wales Bernhard Gillam Eugene Zimmerman C J Taylor and others Chicago EditIn 1893 he took charge of a special World s Fair Puck published weekly for six months on the grounds of the World s Columbian Exposition The stress and exhaustion of that experience damaged his health and he died the next year in New York 4 Udo Keppler EditKeppler s son Udo J Keppler 1872 1956 was also a political cartoonist and co owner for Puck magazine a collector of Indian artifacts and an Indian activist He had his name changed to Joseph Keppler Jr in honor of his father He was an honorary chief of the Seneca nation 12 References Edit Encyclopaedia Britannica Britannica com 15 October 2013 Retrieved 9 July 2014 a b NY Times obituary PDF New York Times Retrieved 9 July 2014 a b c Albert Bernhardt Faust The German Element in the United States 1909 v 2 ch 7 p 363 a b c Elsa A Nystrom 1999 Keppler Joseph American National Biography Vol 12 pp 619 620 Catherine Palmer Mitchell 1928 1990 Keppler Joseph Dictionary of American Biography Vol V Part 2 New York Charles Scribner s Sons pp 352 3 Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild Immigrantships net Retrieved 9 July 2014 National Cowboy Museum Those Who Served Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Keppler Joseph New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead Rines George Edwin ed 1920 Keppler Joseph Encyclopedia Americana Stony Brook University Stonybrook edu 14 January 2014 Retrieved 9 July 2014 Looking Backward History Teaching Institute Ohio State University Cornell University Rmc library cornell edu Retrieved 9 July 2014 Further reading EditRichard Samuel West Satire on Stone the political cartoons of Joseph Keppler University of Illinois Press 1988 ISBN 0 252 01497 9External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph Keppler nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about Joseph Keppler Joseph Keppler wall art at AllPosters com Puck Magazine Illustration Collection 1876 c 1901 at Delaware Art MuseumNot found 2019 11 16 by automated Search Puck as a Collection Joseph Keppler as an Artist but see Udo Keppler Artist Cartoon Archive Puck at Virginia edu Joseph Keppler Gallery 1877 Puck Magazine Puck s first year at GreatCaricatures com Guide to the Keppler Family Papers 1840 1957 at the New York Historical Society Joseph Keppler at Library of Congress with 167 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph Keppler amp oldid 1159009978, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
