Pohle's early work tended to be genre pieces and rather derivative. He later developed his own style in the field of history painting. He became a teacher at the Dresden Academy in 1877 and, later, a Professor.[1] It was there that he made his name as a portraitist. Among his best known portraits are those of his fellow artists Ludwig Richter, Carl Gottlieb Peschel and Ernst Hähnel. He won several gold medals at local exhibitions. Osmar Schindler was one of his students.
A street in Dresden has been named the "Leon-Pohle-Straße" in his honor.[2]