Schip vaart de haven van Londen binnen 1934 - 1936

Leo Gestel's 'Ship Entering the Port of London' is a drawing which gives us a glimpse of an industrial landscape rendered in stark black ink. You can see how Gestel creates a sense of movement and atmosphere through layered, energetic marks. It’s not about photographic likeness, it’s about a feeling, a fleeting impression. The materiality of the work is really striking. The ink is applied with varying pressure, creating a range of darks and lights which gives depth to the composition. The scratchy lines capture the choppy waves and billowing smokestacks. The ship itself is a solid, imposing form but the rest of the scene is more fluid, almost like a sketch in motion. Notice how the horizon line dissolves into the sky, blurring the boundaries between the natural and the man-made. Gestel's approach reminds me of James Ensor, particularly in the way he uses bold lines and simplified forms to create a sense of drama and unease. Both artists embrace ambiguity, inviting us to question our perceptions of the world.