Olifant op boek (schets) before 1936

Leo Gestel made this sketch, "Olifant op boek," sometime in his life with pen and ink. The quick, scribbled lines give a real sense of process, like he's thinking through the form right in front of us. I love how the shading is done with just a bunch of short, hatched lines. It’s almost like he’s feeling the volume of the elephant, not just seeing it. Look at the trunk, how it curls up – the lines get denser there, giving it weight and presence. The book below is barely suggested, but it grounds the whole image, giving it a sense of place. Gestel's mark-making reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley's drawings - both have this raw, searching quality. Ultimately, this piece embraces the beauty of imperfection, the ongoing conversation between eye, hand, and subject.