Zeilschepen op het water 1925 - 1927

Leo Gestel made this drawing, Zeilschepen op het water, with graphite on paper, but when exactly remains a mystery. Look at how he approaches mark-making, that lovely shorthand. It's less about representation and more about this beautiful reduction of form. See how the graphite is layered, smudged, and scratched, building this moody atmosphere. The texture of the paper is part of the drawing, too. I find myself focusing on the water in the foreground, how these quick, repetitive strokes give us the sense of constant movement, the give-and-take between the boats and the waves. And is that an early airplane in the background? It reminds me of some of the sketches by Marsden Hartley, that same interest in the relationship between form, movement and modernity. Art's just one big conversation, right? It’s never really about answers, but the questions we ask.