Vissersvrouw 1924 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing called "Vissersvrouw", or "Fisherwoman" with pen and ink. The simple lines are so declarative. It’s like he’s saying, “This is it, this is all you need to see.” Look at the shading on her shoulders, just a collection of quick strokes, almost like a child’s drawing, but somehow filled with information. And those lines on her bonnet, so simple but they imply the shape of her head underneath. What I love about drawings like this is how they reduce everything to its essence. It makes you realize how much you can say with so little. I think of other artists who embraced simplicity like Agnes Martin. But where she tended to create an overall sense of quiet calm, Gestel captures a specific moment of recognition.