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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 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-57203).jpg "Mr Fezziwig")
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.jpg "Edward the Black Prince, conducting his prisoner, c. 1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Black Mousquetaire, from")
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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, published 1864 by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Clerical Weathercock, c. 1860, c. 1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "In the foreground of the Tableau may be observed a Patrician looking very black at the Triumph of t by John Leech")
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.jpg "Awful appearance of the Shade of Remus to Romulus, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Black Prince as Waiter to King John, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Coronation of Ethelred the Unready, c1860, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Entrance of the Champion at the Coronation Banquet, c. 1860, c. 1860 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 "The End of Julius Caesar, 1852 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 "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 Kill, on The Cat & Custard Pot Day by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scrooge")
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.jpg "Assassination of Viriathus, 1852 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 "Felton admits that he killed the Duke, 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 "The Earl of Chester Interposing Between Henry III and De Burgh by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Christmas Carol: Mr. Fezziwig")
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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 "The Landing of Julius Caesar, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Ghost, from")
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.jpg "Cloelia and Her Companions Escaping from the Etruscan Camp, 1852 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 "The Queen")
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.jpg "That")
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.jpg "Henry VIII Monk-Hunting, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Quarrel Between Somerset and York 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 "The Confession of the old woman clothed in grey, from")
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.jpg "The Royal Oak. The Penderell family have no idea where Charles is!!!, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Auto-da-Fe, from")
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.jpg "Guy Fawkes Before and After the Torture, 1897 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 "His Gracious Majesty Charles I, Borrowing Money by John Leech")
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.jpg "Picking up a Crown by John Leech")
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.jpg "Coronation of Henry VII on the Field of Battle by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scipio Aemilianus Cramming Himself for a Speech After a Hearty Supper, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Ratiocination by John Leech")
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.jpg "Take Away That Bauble: Cromwell Dissolving the Long Parliament by John Leech")
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.jpg "Husband-Taming, Almanack for")
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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 "Titus Oates in the Pillary, from The Comic History of England 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 "Mr Briggs Contemplating a Day")
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.jpg "English Archer of the Period from Such a Rare Old Print 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 "Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh, from The Comic History of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "Caesar looking for the Pearls for which Britain was celebrated by John Leech")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-276462).jpg "Topsy turvey - or, our Antipodes by John Leech")
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.jpg "An original Druid by John Leech")
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.jpg "Remus Jumping Over the Walls by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Housewarming, from")
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.jpg "Parley between Piers Gaveston and the Earl of Pembroke 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 "The Romans Clothed by the Inhabitants of Capua by John Leech")
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.jpg "Assassination of Artaveldt the Brewer, c. 1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "School-boys flogging the Schoolmaster by John Leech")
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.jpg "Caricature of the Mulready Envelope, pub. by Messrs Fores by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Royal Oak, the Penderell Family Have No Idea Where Charles Is by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Mermaid")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-258197).jpg "A Brilliant Idea by John Leech")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-289901).jpg "A bracing day at the seaside by John Leech")
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.jpg "Pleasant Prospect: A Day with the Stag by John Leech")
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.jpg "Roman Man-of-War, from a Scarce Medal by John Leech")
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.jpg "Election of Pope. Getting to the top of the pole, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Madame de Montfort astonishing the French Fleet by John Leech")
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.jpg "Terence reading his Play to Caecilius, 1852 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Snowballing by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Rapid Student by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Great Social Evil, Punch 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 "Good Queen Bess, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Wife of Bath by John Leech")
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.jpg "Kitchen Staff (recto), Mountainous Landscape with Hiker (verso), 1837-64 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Angling in the Serpentine — Saturday, P.M. by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Trio of the Stuarts, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Matter of Business, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Charles I. does not know which way to turn by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry Practising Previous to Challenging Francis by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Lord Mayor arresting a suspicious Twelfth-Night Character by John Leech")
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.jpg "Richard II Conducted a Prisoner to Chester by John Leech")
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.jpg "Captain Fisher Doesn")
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.jpg "Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Fancy Portrait of Inspector Balioi by John Leech")
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.jpg "Marriage of His Majesty Henry III and Eleanor of Provence by John Leech")
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.jpg "Highland Regiment in Camp by John Leech")
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.jpg "Arrival of Richard")
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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 "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 "Embarkation of Henry V at Southampton, AD 1415, from The Comic History of England 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 "Norman Transport by John Leech")
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.jpg "Unpleasant Position of King Harold, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Scarecrow by John Leech")
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