Arbeiders aan het werk 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing called Arbeiders aan het werk, or Workers at Work, with chalk on paper. The artist's hand moves so rapidly here, swirling and stabbing to create the scene. I can imagine them, charcoal dust on their fingers, as these figures emerged bit by bit, rubbing out as much as adding in. The workers almost merge into one another. The artist has only suggested their forms with energetic dark outlines, so the figures aren't fully realized. And yet, I'm moved by how this work gives the feeling of labor. You can see the sweat, the dirt, the weight of the objects they carry... Gestel made many paintings and drawings, and this work relates to a history of art depicting laborers by artists like Van Gogh and Millet. Artists are always inspired by the work of those who came before them. Gestel takes that on and uses the marks to explore what it means to work.