Mr Punch on Horseback (Drawing for Punch)

Charles Keene was a caricaturist for the popular magazine Punch in the 19th century. He drew amusing scenes of everyday London life and was an influence on the Impressionists in their views of London. The figure of 'Punch' was taken from Punch and Judy shows, highly recognisable to contemporary audiences with his hooked nose and jester's hat. This was presumably a preparatory sketch for an engraving or woodcut; when printed the inscription 'Vol 58' would be the right way around for reading. Volume 58 of Punch collected together the issues from 1870.