Biographies

Charles Keene was born in Hornsey in 1823. After trying law and architecture he was apprenticed as a wood engraver. This led to employment on the Illustrated London News. Keene was friendly with Henry Silver, one of the writers at Punch, who used drawings by Keene to illustrate some of his work. This led to Keene’s employment by the magazine, which had recently lost the services of Dicky Doyle. When the leading Punch artist, John Leech, died in 1864, Keene got more work and sketched many scenes of what Baudelaire called “modern life.” Drawing, rather than painting was his strength, and he did landscapes and cartoons as well as his scenes of London. Haldane Macfall praised his work in Vol 4 of The New Age (NA 4.12:249)

Cavalier With Wounded Arm
— Keene, Charles Samuel

London Street Scene
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Mr. Punch at a Meeting
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Punch Cover, Preface, Vol. 61
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Railroad Passengers (1881)
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Self Portrait
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Village Street
— Keene, Charles Samuel

Whistler Smoking (1870)
— Keene, Charles Samuel