Bloemenveld 1891 - 1941

This line drawing called Bloemenveld, or Flower Field, was made by Leo Gestel sometime in the early 20th century. Just a simple set of black lines on paper and yet it suggests so much! What I love about drawings like this, is the way the artist has so economically captured a whole field of flowers using only the barest of means. The crisp outlines create a sense of definition, but at the same time, the forms remain open, suggestive, and unfixed. I'm particularly drawn to the way Gestel varies the thickness of his lines. This is most obvious in the leaves; some are rendered with delicate, thin strokes, while others are bolder and more pronounced. I see the influence of artists like Matisse in this piece and I think that, like Matisse, Gestel embraces the playful ambiguity inherent in the act of artmaking, inviting us to bring our own imagination and experiences to the table.