With the early 19th century, British society discovered an interest in the printed word. Books, magazines and journals became part of everyday life. Decorative illustrations developed into a branch of the applied visual arts, providing a visual accompaniment to text. One particular form of illustration is caricature. James Gillray and Thomas Rowlandson are considered the founders of this art form, which makes reference to society and politics. A caricature is often accompanied by criticism, which is hidden or openly demonstrated in the fine lithographs. In the early days of British caricatures, cruel and satirical elements are often present. The illustrator John Leech turned away from this traditional form of representation. The artist found his inspiration on the streets of London. His first works were humorous character studies that Leech collected in vibrant London. Among the facets of bourgeois city life, the artist found individual characters. Empathic and warm-hearted, Leech reveals the qualities of character. Gentle and never malicious, Leech developed sympathetic images of the people of the time.
John Leech achieved a high profile through his work for the British satirical magazine Punch. The humorous magazine was aimed at the general middle-class audience. Punch stood for verbal and graphic satire and humorous social criticism. Leech took on the issues that preoccupied British society. Strongly represented were a hostile attitude against Americanism and anti-Semitic prejudices. The illustrator created a critical yet humorous cartoon series about the Crimean War and was able to influence public attitudes regarding heroism and warfare. Leech changed the view of the role of the British in the world and was an advocate of acceptable social reform. John Leech reached the readership with his cartoons. Reasons for this may be the high artistic value of the lithographs and the lack of crudeness that other artists used to make their points.
The sympathetic characters that John Leech developed helped the illustrator to get a special collaboration. Leech was commissioned to do the illustrations for Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. The story about the grouchy and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas were perfect for the artist. Leech produced four etchings and his depictions of the ghosts remain the most famous Dickens illustrations to this day. A close friendship developed between the Leech and Dickens families. John's wife Anne was unusually involved in her husband's professional life for the time. Anne Leech sat as a model for young women's drawings and supported her husband's artistic endeavors. Rising living costs drove John Leech to take on more commissions than he could handle. He painted and did portraits beyond his strength. Leech became sensitive to the sounds of the city and lost his taste for music. The dedicated artist succumbed to the effects of a heart attack at the age of 47.
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.jpg "Scene from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens by John Leech")
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.jpg "Much Above That Sort of Thing by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Rising Generation by John Leech")
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.jpg "Curius Dentatus Refusing the Magnificent Gift Offered by the Samnite Ambassadors by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Currency Question; or, the Stock Exchange out for the Day by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scrooge")
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.jpg "Terrific Combat between Richard Coeur de Lion and Saladin, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Light Comedy Man of the Period by John Leech")
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.jpg "Close of the Hunting Season, mending the Gaps by John Leech")
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.jpg "John Leech: English illustrator best known for his humour cartoons in the satirical magazine Punch by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mr J S Rarey, the American Horse-Tamer by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Odious Odo by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Quiet Street, a Sketch from a Study Window by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Picnic in the Drawing Room, a Capital Thing for a Wet Day by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Ghost, from")
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.jpg "Epsom Races, the Return from The Derby by John Leech")
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.jpg "Evening Party - Time of Charles the Second, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Canute Reproving His Courtiers by John Leech")
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.jpg "Progress of Bloomerism, or a Complete Change by John Leech")
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.jpg "Great Seal of William and Mary by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Bit of Animated Nature, The Protectionist Cuckoo in the Hedge Sparrow")
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.jpg "London at the Sea Side by John Leech")
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.jpg "Georgey Porgey the First going out for a ride in his State Coachy Pachy, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Time Bowling out the Druids, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Battle of the Boyne, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Housewarming, from")
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.jpg "Clio Instructing the Young British Lion in History by John Leech")
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.jpg "Take away that Bauble, Cromwell dissolving the Long Parliament, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Bacon, Ye Great Moral Philosopher by John Leech")
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.jpg "The North-American Lodgers by John Leech")
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.jpg "Miss Fabia Astonished at the Patrician")
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.jpg "Henry VIII meeting Francis I, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cloelia and Her Companions Escaping from the Etruscan Camp, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Battle of Bosworth, A Scene in the Great Drama of History by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Mother of the Gracchi by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cincinnatus chosen Dictator by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Wedding-Party at Mrs Byers")
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.jpg "A Young Gentleman and Scholar by John Leech")
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.jpg "Queen Philippa interceding with Edward III for the Six Burgesses of Calais, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Confession of the old woman clothed in grey, from")
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.jpg "Shakespeare Pooh! For my part, I consider Shakespeare a very much over-rated man by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hamilton Tighe, from")
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.jpg "Terrific Combat between T Manlius and a Gaul of gigantic stature by John Leech")
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.jpg "Edward the Black Prince, Conducting His Prisoner by John Leech")
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.jpg "Marius in the Ruins of Carthage, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Her Majesty")
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.jpg "The Love Box door was opened, out came the hounds with a cry, 1865 by Hablot Knight Browne")
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.jpg "Unpleasant Position of King Harold, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "Hannibal Disguising Himself, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Real Christmas Holiday by John Leech")
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.jpg "Roman Man-of-War, from a Scarce Medal by John Leech")
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.jpg "How the Chartist Procession Might Have Looked, 1848 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mr. Jorrocks has a Bye Day, 1854 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Domestics of the 15th Century by John Leech")
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.jpg "King Edward Introducing His Son as Prince of Wales to His Newly Acquired Subjects by John Leech")
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.jpg "Unpleasant Position of King Harold by John Leech")
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.jpg "Gilbert a Becket, Thomas a Becket by John Leech")
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.jpg "Marriage of Henry VI with Margaret of Anjou, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Substitute for the Sea Side, or the Serpentine as it Might Be by John Leech")
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 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-57203).jpg "Mr Fezziwig")
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.jpg "An old gentleman anxious that his wife should possess some trifle from the Great Exhibition of 1851, purchases (amongst other things) the stuffed elephant and the model of the dodo, drawn for Punch by John Leech")
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.jpg "Unseemly conduct of Henry, Prince of Wales, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Physical Education by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Frightful Example. Death of Hardicanute by John Leech")
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.jpg "Reception of Pictures at the Royal Academy - Arrival of the Portrait of a Gentleman, 1846 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Who Dares Kill Marius by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cardinal Campeggio and Mr. Sampson. I Can Hear Nothing Now, Mr. Sampson by John Leech")
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.jpg "Coronation of Henry the Fourth from the best authorities, 1850 by John Leech")
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.jpg "William the Conqueror inspecting the Volunteers previous to the Invasion of England, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Landing of William the Conqueror, from The Comic History of England, pub. 1864 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Awful Apparition! by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Evil Conscience of Tarquin by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scrooge")
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.jpg "Perkin Warbeck Reading His Confession, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Aesculapius by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Plain Question by John Leech")
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.jpg "Domestic Habits by John Leech")
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.jpg "Romulus Consulting the Augury by John Leech")
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.jpg "Tax Collecting in the Reign of Edward the First, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VIII and His Queen")
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.jpg "Queen Mary")
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.jpg "Miss De Glancey Captivates the Earl by John Leech")
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.jpg "Richard thinks it high time he managed his own affairs, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mrs. Sextus Consoles Herself with a Little Party by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VIII and his Queen Out-a-Maying, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry pardoning the young Couple by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Pious Public House, Where You May Get Adulterated Beer and Gin by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hanno Announcing to the Mercenaries the Emptiness of the Public Coffers by John Leech")
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.jpg "Arrest of Eunus by John Leech")
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.jpg "Discovery of the Head of Summanus by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cartoon Commenting on the Watering-Down of Milk by John Leech")
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.jpg "Thomas of Rokeby Receiving the Honour of Knighthood, c. 1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Romford Disturbs the Dignity of His Huntsman by John Leech")
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.jpg "In the nursery by John Leech")
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.jpg "Canute Performing on His Favourite Instrument by John Leech")
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.jpg "General in the Parliamentary Army by John Leech")
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.jpg "Captain Spurrier Cut Down by Romford by John Leech")
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