Grazende koe 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel created this quick drawing of a grazing cow with graphite on paper. I love how Gestel uses these dark marks to suggest the weight of the cow’s body, all hunched over as she eats. You can almost feel the weight of her head pulling downwards. It’s like the artist is trying to capture not just what the cow looks like, but what it feels like to be a cow, all grounded and focused on the grass. I can imagine Gestel outside, quickly capturing the essence of the animal with a few strokes. You know, it kind of reminds me of some of my own sketches, trying to catch a feeling or a movement with as little as possible. It's like a conversation between artists across time, each riffing on similar themes and techniques. And that’s what art’s all about, right? It’s this ongoing dialogue, this constant exchange of ideas that keeps us all going.