Grazende koe 1891 - 1941

This is Leo Gestel’s "Grazende koe," made with crayon on paper. Look at those dark, confident marks that give weight to the cow’s head and shoulders, then dissolve into delicate lines. It’s like Gestel is thinking through the form, feeling the weight of the animal, the pressure of its body as it bends to graze. There’s a real physicality here, isn't there? You can almost feel the texture of the crayon on the page, the way it catches the light. Notice how the sparse lines at the back of the cow seem to fade into the paper, creating a sense of depth and space. Gestel’s work reminds me of Picasso's early sketches, that same interest in capturing the essence of a form with minimal means. Both artists invite us to see the world with fresh eyes, reminding us that art is not about perfect representation, but about the ongoing process of exploration and discovery. It’s a conversation, a dialogue, where meaning is always in motion.