The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-20
JOSEPH KEPPLER Is DEAD.
Founder Of Puck" and tho Most Fa.
mous Cartoonist in the World.

~
nous Cartoonist in the World.
NEW YORK. Feb. 19-Joseph Keppler.
editor and proprietor OF Puck, died 10.
night ut his residence. The Immediate
cause of death was heart failure resulting
from a complication of spinal and lung
troubles.
The founder and chief developer of con-
temporary political caricature in America.
a. We behold It In the coiored cartoons
OF Puck and Judge, was young artist and
actor from Vienna, named Joseph Keppler
born in 1895. who reached St. Louis In 1888
in search of his fortune. He had studied
drawing under the best teachers in
Flenna's Academy OF Fine Arts. but a
strong inclination for acting h ad taken him
upon the stage. During the first year or two
after his arrival in America he went abeut
the country as member of a travelling
theatrical troupe, appearing in the thea
ters OF many cities, including those of at.
Louis, New Orleans and New York. His
hand turned naturally to carieature. and
alter vain attempts to sell some of his
drawings 10 daily newspapers in ST. Louis
he started in that city in 1859 an illus
traied photographic weekly, in German
with the title Die Tehme. Tho subject
OF MS hrst carlcature vas Carl Schurz,
at that time conspicuous figure in ST.
Louis. The paper had q short life.
and was succeeded in 1870 by a new vent
ure called Paok. Two volumes of this were
issued, that of the first year being In Ger
man alone. and that Of the second in both
German ana English. The enterprise vas
doing fairly well when Keppler was COM
PEELED 10 abandon il. He went Ia New
York city In 1873. where he lid some work
for weekly illustrated paper for n time
and also reappeared upon the local stage IA
an actor. In September fS76 the n rst MN.
Der of Puck of the present day was issued
Ia German. and in March, 1871 the first
number IN English made its annoyance,
The Puck Of those early DAYS was very
different thing from what it is nov. LIS
cartoons were drawn on wood. and nere
in white and black. The drawing was
strong. bGt the composition of the mic.
t1res was almost as crude as that of the
old lthograph sheets. Eeppler a. FIRST
followed the French and Italian schools
Of carlcature. exaggerating the size Of the
heads and the length of the legs, He
very soon abandoned this, however and
began 10 feel his way toward the
sgaduA unfolding Of what under
his guidance has become a distinetlv
American school Of caricature, In ISIS
be began 70 draw on stone and in order To
brighten the effect Of bis pictures he com
meneed TO tint them slightly with a sing.
color. In 1879 two colors. or tints wers
used, and from that time on the growth
has been steady aud rapid until the hr,ght
and multieoiored cartoon of the mes
emit day has been reached. Keur-
Ter was the greatest eartooniss in
the world, unquestionahlv. To ar
prostate the fine quality Of his work. a.
veil as the originality and force of the car.
toons. one has but to compare his pirtures
with those Of Gillian, TAYLOR and MINER
Gus other imitatogs or with The re,cu
drawings Of Mast keppler's color rartrait
81 Mrs. Cleveland, published in p,trk raye
h4'a great reputation. Pack was [. tbiek
ana thia supporter Of Cleveland from tbs
start, and equally jealous in lis hostility
10 Hill aud Tammany.l