Bloemen en golven 1939 - 1941

Curator: The Dutch master Leo Gestel rendered this study, “Bloemen en golven,” meaning "Flowers and Waves," sometime between 1939 and 1941. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My immediate impression is one of calm simplicity. The composition, split almost symmetrically, gives a feeling of balance, of something gently unfolding. What strikes you? Curator: I'm interested in that balance you noticed. It's there, yet softened by the hand-drawn quality, making the symmetry feel less rigid. Flowers above, waves below... perhaps reflecting a symbolic harmony between the terrestrial and the aquatic realms? Editor: Gestel lived through immense societal upheaval. The tension preceding and during the Second World War definitely influenced artistic creation, even in seemingly innocuous pieces like this study. Do you see those global anxieties reflected here? Curator: I think you’re right to point that out. Consider the waves—they are not particularly violent, but they suggest movement, an undercurrent, potentially reflecting that social unrest. And flowers themselves can represent fragility, reminding us of life's delicate nature. Editor: The stark pencil medium really emphasizes a rawness, almost like a quick note. It reminds us art does not emerge in a vacuum and these are not only stylized flowers. The act of sketching this scene represents a specific reaction in a specific socio-historical context. Curator: Absolutely. Pencil sketches often possess an intimacy—as if we're peering into the artist's direct thoughts, a preliminary dance between conception and execution. Perhaps an assertion of life’s persistence when so much around was in flux? Editor: Perhaps, and one can easily picture a community seeing comfort in simple nature scenes during times of crisis. In viewing sketches such as “Bloemen en golven,” we observe an artist and a culture, in communion through difficult times. Curator: Yes, it’s a humble yet enduring piece, reminding us that artistic interpretations can serve both personal reflection and collective remembrance.