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Darvill's Rare Prints is pleased to offer a huge selection of original
John Leech etchings from various publications.

The original etchings featured below are from:

John Leech's etchings, from 'Jack Brag' by Theodore Hook; from 'Christopher Tadpole' by Albert Smith; from 'Hector O'Halloran', by W.H. Maxell

Illustrations by John Leech

Published in London by William Tegg, 1870
(as reprints from earlier novels published between 1837-1850)

Sheet size is approximately 8 x 11 inches.
Please click on the images below for an enlarged view.

We have many more prints by Leech...
please see the Satire/Humor page by clicking here.

THE PRINTS IMMEDIATELY BELOW ARE FROM JACK BRAG, BY THEODORE HOOK.
AS REPRINTED IN 1870 (FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1837).
THE ETCHINGS ARE SOME OF THE EARLIER DONE BY JOHN LEECH,
WHEN HE WAS JUST TWENTY YEARS OLD.

A bit about
John Leech
:


Artist and Illustrator.

He was born in London on August 23, 1817, the son of a vintner and showed a remarkable aptitude for drawing from an early age.

After being educated at Charterhouse and then entering St. Bartholemew's Hospital to study medicine, Leech abandoned it for the career of an artist. At Charterhouse he had become a friend of W.M. Thackeray (q.v.) and at St. Bartholemew's he had made the acquaintance of Albert Smith and Percival Leigh, the writers, all of whom were to further him in his profession.

He produced his first book Etchings and Sketchings, caricatures of Londoners, in 1835 and followed this with a series of satirical and political lithographs. Leech was taught to draw on the wood by Orrin Smith and it was in this field of black and white work that he was to make his name.

His humour was like his talent, gentle, warm-hearted and positive, his world, the ups and downs of middle class life, the sports of the squirearchy, and the peccadilloes of army officers and undergraduates.

He became really established in 1840 when he joined the staff of Bentley's Miscellany, contributing over one hundred and forty etchings to the magazine. In 1841 he contributed his first block to the newly-established satirical journal Punch; Leech's art was ripe for this type of pictorial satire and within a few months he had made it his own, establishing a convention of social humour that was to last until the 1920s.

From 1843, Leech shared the cartoons with Tenniel, completing no less than seven hundred and twenty before 1864. But his strength was in the drawings of the hunting field and London fashion, epitomised in the characters of Tom Noddy and Mr. Briggs. Extravagantly praised by Ruskin, Leech's often careless but never crude drawings have survived in charm and humour to give us a refreshing glimpse of mid-Victorian society.

He died after a short illness in 1864.

(from The Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists, 1800-1914 by Simon Houfe)

.
Jack and the maid from the Three Mackerels
Jack and the maid from the Three Mackerels
$30
Jack and his mother on Waterloo Bridge
Jack and his mother on Waterloo Bridge
$25
Jack's sham indisposition
Jack's sham indisposition
$30
Jack exposed by the stable boy
Jack exposed by the stable boy
$30
Jack's disappointment
Jack's disappointment
$25
THE PRINTS IMMEDIATELY BELOW ARE FROM THE STRUGGLES AND ADVENTURES OF CHRISTOPHER TADPOLE AT HOME AND ABROAD, BY ALBERT SMITH.
AS REPRINTED IN 1870 (FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1848). NOTE THE IMPROVEMENT IN LEECH'S STYLE FROM THE EARLIER ETCHINGS ABOVE — TEN YEARS BEFORE
A Discontented Spirit
A Discontented Spirit
$25
Christopher's first Appearance in public
Christopher's first
Appearance in public
$30
Christopher surprised by Rockey
Christopher surprised by Rockey
$30
Sprouts under the influence of his Tail-coat
Sprouts under the influence of his Tail-coat
$30
Administering a Powder to the Olive
Administering a Powder to the Olive
$30
Dr. Aston assting Hickory
Dr. Aston assisting Hickory
$30
Mr. Gudge provides Christopher with a suit of clothes
Mr. Gudge provides Christopher with a suit of clothes
$30
Sprouts has unexpected customers
Sprouts has unexpected customers
$30
Christopher's combat with the Greengrocer
Christopher's combat with the Greengrocer
$30
Mrs. Hamper & the Brigands
Mrs. Hamper & the Brigands
$25
Rescue of Mrs. Hamper
Rescue of Mrs. Hamper
$30
Christopher attacks young Arden
Christopher attacks young Arden
$30
Mr. Gudge & young Arden
Mr. Gudge & young Arden
$25
Mr. Gudge's Fancy Fair
Mr. Gudge's Fancy Fair
$30
Christopher's Rehearsal
Christopher's Rehearsal
$40
The Discovery of the Buckle
The Discovery of the Buckle
$30
Christopher meets Dr. Aston again
Christopher meets Dr. Aston again
$20
The Baronet at Home
The Baronet at Home
$25
Christopher pursues his enquiries
Christopher pursues his enquiries
$60
The Death of Gudge
The Death of Gudge
$60
THE PRINTS IMMEDIATELY BELOW ARE FROM THE FORTUNES OF HECTOR O'HALLORAN, AND HIS MAN MARK ANTONY O'TOOLE, BY W.H. MAXWELL AS REPRINTED IN 1870 (FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1850).
The Cross Reckoning
The Cross Reckoning
$25
The Jew's nefarious design on Mark Antony frustrated
The Jew's nefarious design on Mark Antony frustrated
$35
The Robbery of Tim Maley
The Robbery of Tim Maley
$25
A Meeting between Men of Business
A Meeting between Men of Business
$30
Mr. Malone's evening party
Mr. Malone's evening party
$30
The House of Call
The House of Call
$30
The Slave Ship
The Slave Ship
$30
Peter Crotty's interview with Lord Wellington
Peter Crotty's interview
with Lord Wellington
$25
Hector & Mark Antony in the Posada
Hector & Mark Antony in the Posada
$30
Mark Antony saving the life of the Voltigeur
Mark Antony saving the life of the Voltigeur
$30
Major Fitzmaurice introduced to Miss Flora Macginnes
Major Fitzmaurice introduced to
Miss Flora Macginnes
$25
Hector wounded
Hector wounded
$15
NOTE: SEVERAL REPAIRED TEARS AND FOXING
A Dangerous Intruder
A Dangerous Intruder
$20
NOTE: FOXING
Hector and Mark Anthony in an awkward predicament
Hector and Mark Anthony in an awkward predicament
$20
NOTE: FOXING AND DIAGONAL CREASE IN UPPER LEFT
Hundreds more original John Leech etchings...See our Humor and Satire page