The death of Mr. Charles Keene, the well-known con- tributor
to Punch, who had for some time past been seriously ill, took place on Sunday, at his house in the Hammersmith Road, the news being received by the public he had so long .amused and delighted, with more than ordinary expressions of regret. The artist, who was born at Hornsey in 1823, was on his mother's side a Suffolk man, and was educated at Ipswich, her native town. He joined the staff of Punch some forty years ago, and from that time contributed regularly to its pages. We have attempted to estimate Mr, Keene's place as a humorist elsewhere, but we may point out here that he had obtained a world-wide reputation as an artist,—the best Parisian critics regarding his work with extraordinary en- thusiasm. It was said of him, as of many other great humorists, that he had no natural sense of fun, and that he could never tell a story without leaving out the point. So striking a paradox has of course been eagerly credited, but we fancy it has no foundation whatever. Shyness may have made Keene a bad raconteur, but that he had not a strong sense of humour is simply incredible. It has been alleged with more show of reason that he had no feeling for what was beautiful. No doubt he seldom drew a pretty woman, but we can recall at least one charming figure,—a peasant girl sitting on a gate. His landscape backgrounds, too, often gave the loveliest and most idyllic glimpses of summer fields and woodlands.
Previous page
