Vrouw met een bos bloemen 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this charcoal drawing called 'Woman with a bunch of flowers' sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Gestel was a Dutch artist, and this sketch gives us an insight into the art world of the Netherlands at that time. In the early 20th century, Dutch artists were grappling with new artistic movements like cubism and expressionism, and this drawing shows Gestel's exploration of those styles. What does it mean to show a woman like this? Is she an individual, or a representation of womanhood? What values are ascribed to women and flowers in Dutch culture? To understand this work better, you might research Gestel's life and career, looking at his other works and the influences on his style. What can art tell us about the society that produced it?