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 "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 "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 "Fresh as a four year old. Went off like a shot, 1865 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Scrooge")
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.jpg "Hamilton Tighe, from")
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.jpg "Coronation of Henry VII on the Field of Battle by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hannibal Makes the Usual Neat and Appropriate Speech Previous to Killing Himself by John Leech")
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.jpg "Caesar Looking for the Pearls for which Britain was Formerly Celebrated by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Ghost, from")
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.jpg "The Black Mousquetaire, from")
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.jpg "Sertorius and His Young Friends by John Leech")
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.jpg "Discovery of the Laws of Gravitation by Isaac Newton 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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_for_Char_-_(MeisterDrucke-1470815).jpg "Marley")
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.jpg "King John signing Magna Carta by John Leech")
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.jpg "Battledore and Shuttlecock by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Confession of the old woman clothed in grey, from")
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.jpg "Little Jack Ingoldsby entering the cellar, from")
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.jpg "Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, 1897 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 "Scipio Aemilianus Cramming Himself for a Speech After a Hearty Supper by John Leech")
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.jpg "The King of Sicily and His Household by John Leech")
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 1843 - (MeisterDrucke-57203).jpg "Mr Fezziwig")
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.jpg "Mr J S Rarey, the American Horse-Tamer by John Leech")
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.jpg "England in 1842, going to the Derby 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 "Coronation of Ethelred the Unready by John Leech")
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.jpg "King James Disposing of Baronetcies by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Norman Knight, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Edward II and his Favourite, Piers Gaveston by John Leech")
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.jpg "Assassination of Viriathus by John Leech")
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.jpg "Caricature of the County Hampshire by John Leech")
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.jpg "Combat between the Horatii and Curiatii by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry Practising Previous to Challenging Francis by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry Wooing Catherine Parr by John Leech")
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.jpg "Norman Transport by John Leech")
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.jpg "Origin of the Order of the Garter by John Leech")
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.jpg "Rash Act of Caius Gracchus by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Bishop of Ely Presenting a Pottle of Strawberries to Gloster by John Leech")
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.jpg "Distressing Result of Eating Turkey Day after Day by John Leech")
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.jpg "Horatius Cocles Defending the Bridge 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 "Pleasant Prospect: A Day with the Stag by John Leech")
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.jpg "Great Holiday in Mr. Punch")
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.jpg "Who am I! I")
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.jpg "The Citadel Saved by the Cackling of the Geese by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mr. Jorrocks Enters into Handley Cross by John Leech")
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.jpg "Her Majesty")
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.jpg "The End of Julius Caesar 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 "A Consultation about the State of Turkey. Punch, September 17, 1853 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Epsom Races, the Return from The Derby by John Leech")
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.jpg "Hanno Announcing the Emptiness of the Public Coffers by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Lictor is Sent to Arrest Publilius Volero by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Great Social Evil, Punch by John Leech")
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.jpg "Pigg in the Melon Frame, from")
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.jpg "Hanno Announcing to the Mercenaries the Emptiness of the Public Coffers by John Leech")
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.jpg "Terrific Combat between Titus Manlius and a Gaul of Gigantic Stature by John Leech")
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.jpg "William Roof-us by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Practical Joke. Deposition of Richard II by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mithridates 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 "Original Beefeater, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Armed Slave by John Leech")
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.jpg "Photographic Beauties by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mrs. Sextus Consoles Herself with a Little Party by John Leech")
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.jpg "Thurkills little Account, c1860 by John Leech")
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.jpg "William Inspecting the Volunteers Previous to the Invasion of England by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Royal Minor by John Leech")
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.jpg "Earl de Warenne producing his title to the Commissioners by John Leech")
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.jpg "Going to the Pantomime by John Leech")
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.jpg "A Prize Baby Show, Materfamilias Rewarding a Successful Candidate by John Leech")
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.jpg "Early Roman Gladiator and His Patron by John Leech")
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.jpg "The Romans Walking off with the Sabine Women by John Leech")
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.jpg "Rowena and Vortigern by John Leech")
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.jpg "Progress of Bloomerism, or a Complete Change by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mrs Sextus Consoles Herself with a Little Party by John Leech")
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.jpg "Lord Darnley, 1897 by John Leech")
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.jpg "Roman Man-of-War, from a Scarce Medal by John Leech")
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.jpg "Mr Briggs Contemplating a Day")
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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 "Fancy Dress Ball by John Leech")
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.jpg "Ancient Armed Briton by John Leech")
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.jpg "Fetching Home the Christmas Dinner by John Leech")
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.jpg "Husband-Taming, Almanack for")
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.jpg "Coriolanus Parting from His Wife and Family by John Leech")
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.jpg "Roman soldier on horseback by John Leech")
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.jpg "Captain Fisher Doesn")
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.jpg "Oh! The Merry, Merry Month of May!!! by John Leech")
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.jpg "Tarquinius Superbus Has the Sibylline Books Valued 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 "Roman Bull and Priest of the Period 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 "Ya-ah! Macker-el! William of Trumpington, Abbot of St. Albans by John Leech")
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.jpg "Henry VII and Perkin Warbeck")
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.jpg "Very Fond of It by John Leech")
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.jpg "Foxhunters regaling in the Good Old Times by John Leech")
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