RISKS 

This ink drawing titled "Risks" was created by John Leech, an artist active in the mid-19th century. It shows a traveler at a ticket window. Leech was a master of line, and here he uses it to great effect, varying the thickness and density of the marks to create a sense of depth and texture. Note the cross-hatching he employs to build up the shadows. The effect is somewhat crude, as if this image has been rapidly produced. And in fact, Leech was one of the leading illustrators for "Punch" magazine, a satirical publication that was itself mass-produced, and circulated widely. This points to the real subject of the drawing: commerce and the increasingly rapid circulation of people and money, facilitated by the railways. The traveler seems a bit shifty, perhaps even engaged in some illicit activity. With its stark contrasts and quick execution, the image seems to ask, what are the social "Risks" of the modern age? Are they worth the price of a ticket?