He had studied drawing in Vienna and had contributed cartoons to periodicals in that city.

After some unsuccessful ventures in illustrated journalism, he started a pictorial weekly in New York in 1875.

It was originally printed in German, but in less than a year it was issued also in English.

It was not until 1879 that it sprang into general notice through Keppler's success in reproducing lithographed designs in color.

Meanwhile, the artist was feeling his way from the old style caricature, crowded with figures with overhead loops of explanatory text, to designs possessing an artistic unity expressive of an idea plain enough to tell its own story.