French Gentleman Gratifying His Hatred of Mr. Bull n.d.

John Leech made this small watercolor drawing, "French Gentleman Gratifying His Hatred of Mr. Bull," sometime in the mid-19th century. Here we see an exaggerated representation of Anglo-French animosity. The image employs visual codes typical of British political cartoons of the period. John Bull, a national personification of Great Britain, is caricatured as a stout, helpless figure being physically assaulted by a lean, aggressive Frenchman. The architectural background, likely a reference to Paris, further underscores the national context. Consider the role of publications like "Punch" magazine, for which Leech was a prominent illustrator, in shaping and disseminating such nationalistic sentiments. These images served to reinforce existing prejudices and anxieties within British society. By studying such works alongside period newspapers, political pamphlets, and social commentaries, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between art, national identity, and public opinion in 19th-century Britain.