Steigerend paard 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this sketch of a rearing horse with ink on paper. The bold, graphic lines give it a real sense of energy. I wonder what Gestel was thinking about when he made this? Was he just doodling, trying to capture the animal's spirit? It looks like he was really into the movement, the way the horse balances on its hind legs, all muscle and tension. The brushstrokes are so simple, almost like he was trying to get the essence of the horse down as quickly as possible. It reminds me of some of Franz Marc's animal paintings, that same kind of raw, expressive power. Artists, right? Always riffing off each other, borrowing ideas, pushing things further. It's like one big conversation that never ends! And that's what makes painting so cool, it's always changing, always open to new interpretations. You could look at this sketch a hundred times and see something different each time.