Painter and printmaker John Leopold Lubschitz was born April 23, 1858 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His father Carl Berhard Lubschitz was a skilled decorative painter and dedicated art collector. Though John Lubschitz intended to go into a more lucrative profession, enrolling at the Soro Academy in 1876, he quickly realized he wanted to be an artist and left for the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1882 with a degree in painting. He focused on genre paintings with special attention to light. That year he made his debut at the school's annual art exhibition, to critial acclaim. 

Later in his career he became known for his etchings and was a member of the Danish Etching Society, with whom he frequently exhibited. He exhibited at Charlottenberg from 1881 to 1937; the Northern Art Exhibition, Copenhagen, 1888; Munich in 1890 and Berlin in 1892; at the Chicago World's Fair, USA, 1893; the Paris Salon in 1894 and 96; and the Baltic Exhibition, Malmo in 1914, among many others. He invented a transparent varnish and a special etching needle, trademarked in his name. He also encouraged many of his peers to take up etching, including Otto Bache and Erik Henningsen, among others.

John Leopold Lubschitz died on February 13, 1941 in Gentofte, Denmar. His work is included in the collections of the Vejle Museum, the Copenahgen Museum, and the Soro Museum, among others.