Publiek bij een wielerwedstrijd 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing called "Publiek bij een wielerwedstrijd" or "Audience at a cycling race" with pen in ink on paper. It feels immediate and lively. Gestel uses a kind of shorthand, like he's trying to capture the energy of the crowd in as few marks as possible. Look at how he suggests the faces – just a few quick loops and dashes, and you get the sense of a whole bunch of people. The lines are wiry and energetic, giving the drawing a raw, unfinished quality, which is part of its charm. It's like you're seeing his thought process right there on the paper. The texture of the paper comes through, adding to the overall feeling of immediacy. Gestel isn't trying to hide anything. The scrawled writing of 'Dunlop' and other words across the top feel like little abstract gestures in themselves. It reminds me of Raoul Dufy, who was similarly trying to capture the spectacle of modern life through color and line. In both cases, the art embraces ambiguity and the joy of the process.