Naakte vrouw in de wolken 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing, Naakte vrouw in de wolken, with pen in hand, with an idea perhaps forming as the lines appeared. Look at how the lines define the cloud, or maybe it’s water? Gestel doesn’t give us all the information. I love the quality of the line here, the way it tapers and swells, creating depth with such economy. The surface is bare, simple, and the hand of the artist is present, but it's not overworked. Notice how the cloud contours echo the figure's curves, cradling her in mid-air. The drawing has a lightness, a sense of playful suspension, and the woman looks like she's diving into something unknown. Gestel later developed a more abstract, cubist style. This drawing hints at that inclination towards abstraction. It reminds me of the dreamlike states in Odilon Redon’s work. Art, you know, it’s a conversation across time, always evolving.