Stilleven met appel, pijp en fles 1891 - 1941

This still life with an apple, pipe and bottle was made by Leo Gestel, we think, in ink, on paper. I love that Gestel has gone in with these decisive black marks to describe the objects. It’s not about making them look real, it’s about conjuring them. The apple is more of an idea of an apple, right? The way the ink sits on the page feels immediate and raw. You can see the thickness and thinness of the lines, and where the ink has bled a little. Gestel is unafraid to let the materials speak. Check out the curtain in the background, those thick black stripes, so bold! It feels like he’s saying, “Here it is, take it or leave it.” Gestel, like other artists such as Picasso, saw the world as something to be broken down and put back together in new ways. It’s art as a constant conversation. There are no fixed answers, just endless possibilities.