John Leighton was an English artist celebrated for his book illustrations and cover designs. His talent for design found early expression in "Suggestions in Design..." (1852), a work that expounded his beliefs regarding the history of design. Leighton was also among the first to study book plates and encourage their collection, contributing to the establishment of an Ex-Libris Society where he served as Vice-President. His artistic output drew heavily on historical decorative motifs, repeatedly applied across book illustrations and hundreds of cover designs.
The National Gallery's "Winter Landscape" has brought into question the attribution of another version in the Museum in Dortmund. This book investigates the problem of the relationship and attribution of the two paintings and provides background information on Friedrich's life and work.