Twee vissen in het water 1939 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of "Two Fish in the Water" with pen and ink. There is a sense of freedom in Gestel's lines, like he let the pen dance across the paper, swirling around the fish, the plants, the bubbles. Look at how the lines create a feeling of movement, the circles of water radiating from the fish as they glide through their world. The marks are applied with confidence and the details are just enough to animate the life of the fish. The thick black lines are like the bold strokes of a calligrapher, each one distinct and full of energy. See the plant-life in the foreground, these bold lines pull against the rest of the image, creating an energetic tension. It reminds me of Matisse's drawings, simple lines with the maximum expressiveness. Gestel’s work, much like Matisse’s, embraces the beauty of simplicity, reminding us that art is not just about what you see, but how you see it.