Steigerend paard, bloem en kop (schets) before 1941

Leo Gestel made this sketch, ‘Steigerend paard, bloem en kop,’ with brush and ink. Look at how he lays down these contrasting black and white marks, letting the image emerge through a process of layering and juxtaposition. It's like he's thinking aloud on paper. There’s a real physicality to Gestel's marks; they feel raw and immediate. The thick, opaque blacks give weight and definition to the face, while the thin, washy grays create depth and volume in the flower. I am drawn to the way the cascading lines in the center of the flower seem to mediate between the geometric form of the head and the sinuous outline of the horse. He is playing with this space, making a composition from forms that shift and transform. Gestel's willingness to embrace ambiguity reminds me of the work of Marsden Hartley, who also used simplified forms and bold contrasts to create emotionally charged images. Both artists seem to be searching for something beyond the surface of things, trusting in the power of art to evoke feeling and suggest meaning without ever fully resolving itself.