Portret van Jan Toorop 1920 - 1922

Leo Gestel made this portrait of Jan Toorop using brush and ink. It's all about the process, isn't it? A series of decisions, one mark after another, building up an image. Look at the way the ink washes across the paper, pooling in some areas, leaving delicate, almost transparent strokes in others. You can practically feel the artist’s hand moving, the brush dancing across the surface. See that dark, decisive stroke defining the eyebrow? It's like a key, unlocking the whole composition. The weight of the line, the contrast with the lighter washes around it, it all adds up. It reminds me a bit of some of the gestural work of Franz Kline, though perhaps a little more grounded in representation. You know, art is always talking to other art, a big conversation across time. Ultimately, it’s not about pinning down one definitive meaning, but about opening up possibilities, embracing the fluidity of interpretation.