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 "Curius Dentatus Refusing the Magnificent Gift Offered by the Samnite Ambassadors by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Rising Generation by John Leech")
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.jpg "Much Above That Sort of Thing by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Ghost of Christmas Present Appearing to Scrooge. Illustration by John Leech for Charles Dickens")
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.jpg "Marriage of His Majesty Henry III and Eleanor of Provence by John Leech")
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.jpg "That")
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_for_Char_-_(MeisterDrucke-1470815).jpg "Marley")
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.jpg "Hannibal, whilst even yet a child swears eternal hatred to the Romans by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Christmas Carol: Mr. Fezziwig")
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.jpg "The Auto-da-Fe, from")
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.jpg "Little Jack Ingoldsby entering the cellar, from")
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.jpg "Quid Times Caesarem Vehis by John Leech")
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.jpg "Coriolanus Parting from His Wife and Family by John Leech")
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 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-57203).jpg "Mr Fezziwig")
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.jpg "Thomas of Rokeby Receiving the Honour of Knighthood, c. 1860 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 "Mr J S Rarey, the American Horse-Tamer 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 "James I on his way to England, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Rhea Silvia by John Leech")
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.jpg "Unseemly Conduct of Henry, Prince of Wales by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Lictor is sent to arrest Publilius Volero, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scrooge")
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.jpg "Mithridates by John Leech")
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.jpg "Canute Reproving His Courtiers by John Leech")
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.jpg "Master of the Horse by John Leech")
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.jpg "Great Holiday in Mr. Punch")
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.jpg "Horatius Cocles Defending the Bridge by John Leech")
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.jpg "Epsom Races, the Return from The Derby by John Leech")
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.jpg "King James Disposing of Baronetcies by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Landing of Julius Caesar, from The Comic History of England 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 Demonstration in Hyde-Park by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Barebones Parliament, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Unseemly conduct of Henry, Prince of Wales, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hostilities Between England and France by John Leech")
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.jpg "Edward III on the morning of Cressy by John Leech")
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.jpg "Marius in the Ruins of Carthage, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hannibal crossing the Alps by John Leech")
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.jpg "The First Day of the Season by John Leech")
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.jpg "Very Fond of It by John Leech")
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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 "Perkin Warbeck and his Army, 1897 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 "Going to the Ball-The Finishing Touch by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry answering Here!, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Evil Conscience of Tarquin by John Leech")
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.jpg "Cold out of Doors, and Cold In-Doors, or Tom Smithers")
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.jpg "Jack Rogers Putting His Nerves to Rights by John Leech")
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.jpg "King John Signing Magna Carta, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Swimming for Ladies by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Dashing Young King by John Leech")
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.jpg "Blondel, the Minstrel, Under the Walls of Richard")
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.jpg "Foxhunters Regaling in the Present Degenerate Days by John Leech")
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.jpg "Horatius Cocles Defending the Bridge by John Leech")
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.jpg "Edward the Black Prince, Conducting His Prisoner by John Leech")
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.jpg "Drusus is Stabbed, and Expires Gracefully by John Leech")
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.jpg "Combat between the Horatii and Curiatii by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Skilful Henry by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Battle of the Boyne by John Leech")
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.jpg "Bacon, Ye Great Moral Philosopher by John Leech")
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.jpg "Edward II and his Favourite, Piers Gaveston by John Leech")
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.jpg "Specimens from Mr Punch")
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.jpg "William Departing for France by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Consultation about the State of Turkey. Punch, September 17, 1853 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Juvenile Etymology by John Leech")
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.jpg "Visit to the Antediluvian Reptiles at Sydenham-Master Tom Strongly Objects to having his Mind Improved by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Rather Fast Steeple Chase by John Leech")
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.jpg "Origin of the Order of the Garter, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Conversazione of Ladies by John Leech")
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.jpg "Blondel, Under the Walls of Richard")
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.jpg "John in a Passion by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Demonstration in Hyde Park by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hannibal Requesting the Cretan Priests to Become His Bankers by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Member for Huntingdon by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Citadel Saved by the Cackling of the Geese by John Leech")
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.jpg "Roman Lady Shopping by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VIII Monk-Hunting, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Who dares kill Marius by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VIII meeting Francis I, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VIII Monk Hunting, 1850 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Tarquinius Superbus Makes Himself King by John Leech")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1087385).jpg "A Nice Game for Two or More by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Scene at the Cock and Punch Bowl by John Leech")
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.jpg "Coriolanus Parting from His Wife and Family by John Leech")
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.jpg "Self-possession of Fabricius under rather Trying Circumstances, 1852 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 "Sir Thomas Wyatt surrendering to Sir Maurice Berkeley by John Leech")
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.jpg "Discovery of the Laws of Gravitation by Isaac Newton by John Leech")
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_from_The_Comic_History_of_Eng_-_(MeisterDrucke-390332).jpg "Coronation of Henry IV (from the best authorities), from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Great Social Evil, Punch by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mr Fezziwig")
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.jpg "Garden 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 "Debtor and Creditor.--Seizure of Goods for a Debt by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scipio and Hannibal by John Leech")
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.jpg "Misapplication by John Leech")
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.jpg "Judge Jeffreys by John Leech")
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