Contouren van een hoofd 1891 - 1941

Curator: Welcome. Before us hangs Leo Gestel’s “Contouren van een hoofd,” or “Contours of a Head,” created sometime between 1891 and 1941. It’s a graphite and pencil drawing now held here at the Rijksmuseum. What strikes you most immediately? Editor: The incompleteness, the vulnerability of the lightly sketched lines. It's more absence than presence. The barely-there impression evokes a fragile memory. Curator: Interesting. I’m drawn to the economy of line itself. Consider how Gestel coaxes form from so little—a few strokes suggesting the curve of a cheek, the barest hint of an ear. The physical labor is evident, the visible residue of process, and brings the viewer close to Gestel’s method. Editor: For me, it whispers of unformed identity, the elusive nature of self. The curving lines surrounding the 'head' remind me of amniotic fluid, hinting at nascent potential. Or even loss. Is it me, or does anyone else get a postmortem feel? Curator: Possibly a bit of both, no? The medium contributes here too; the inherent delicacy of graphite and pencil. Mass production of this accessible, utilitarian material helped facilitate artistic experimentation outside traditional high art spaces. This kind of rough paper and readily-available graphite made this accessible, encouraging artists to quickly explore visual ideas, but in this context is the sketch preparatory, or a final statement? Editor: Regardless of its final state, those soft grey lines contribute significantly to the symbolism. Grey sits on the liminal line between existence and non-existence, calling on deeper philosophical contemplation on the nature of being. We’re faced with not just the form, but the void that surrounds and shapes the form. Curator: I agree. Even the apparent lack of finish prompts a re-evaluation of conventional artistic hierarchies. By emphasizing process over a polished product, Gestel challenges what constitutes complete artwork. This isn’t just a portrait, it's the concept of form laid bare through common materials. Editor: Absolutely, Gestel's choice of materials combined with the incomplete nature of the drawing pulls back a veil and lets the subconscious bubble up. "Contours of a Head" ultimately touches on essential aspects of humanity. It feels profound, not despite of its incompleteness, but because of it. Curator: Well said. "Contouren van een hoofd," an artwork with its unassuming nature, pushes us to consider artistic integrity and our place in the narrative of human experience. Editor: Yes, a quiet piece that speaks volumes.