Caleb at Work 

John Leech made this artwork, titled 'Caleb at Work', using pen and ink. Notice the recurring architectural motif: a structure, perhaps a wall or a building, which appears both in the foreground and background. Buildings, throughout art history, have often been symbols of stability, order, and civilization. Yet here, with its rough, almost unfinished appearance, this architectural motif seems to suggest a different interpretation. Consider how similar structures appear in Renaissance paintings, like those of Giotto, where architecture signifies divine order. The contrast is stark. In Leech’s work, this visual symbol seems to express a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, perhaps reflecting the disarray of the era it was produced in. The motif becomes a powerful force, engaging us on a deep, subconscious level. It is this non-linear, cyclical progression of the architectural symbol that resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.