Schets voor 'L'art Hollandais contemporain' van Paul Fierens (baadsters) 1932 - 1933

This sketch by Leo Gestel, a study for Paul Fierens' book on contemporary Dutch art, presents us with two bathers rendered in bold, graphic strokes of black and white. The immediate impression is one of simplified forms and stark contrasts, evoking a sense of modernist reduction. Gestel's use of line is particularly striking. He uses thick, decisive strokes to delineate the figures and their setting, creating a flattened perspective reminiscent of early Cubist explorations of space. The composition is anchored by the solid black mass of the chair or settee, against which the pale, volumetric forms of the bathers are posed. This interplay between light and dark, solid and void, gives the piece a dynamic tension. The sketch, though preparatory, shows a keen interest in the formal elements of art-making. It reflects the broader artistic movements of the early 20th century. Gestel destabilizes traditional modes of representation by emphasizing the structural components of the image, inviting us to see beyond mere depiction. Gestel highlights the intrinsic elements of form, line and composition. It leaves the work open for continuous exploration and discourse.