Studieblad met satyrs, naakten en diverse dieren 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this study sheet with graphite, featuring satyrs, nudes, and animals, now residing at the Rijksmuseum. I love the immediacy of this work, the way the artist has so freely captured a diverse range of figures on a single sheet, it feels very much like an exercise. Look at the variety of marks! Some are tentative, like a search for form, others are more confident, with a clear and decisive line. The sheet is full of movement, the animals seem to leap and frolic. There's a wonderful sense of energy, like Gestel was chasing something fleeting. Then there are the human figures that provide a sense of scale and familiarity. This sketch sheet has an interesting parallel to Picasso's sketchbooks, in their shared interest in exploring form and movement. Ultimately, it reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, a process of experimentation, and a journey of discovery.