Naakte zittende vrouw met opgetrokken knieën (schets) before 1936

Leo Gestel made this drawing of a seated nude with ink on paper; its date is unknown. The urgency of the marks gives the impression that it was executed quickly, and like a lot of drawings it feels like we’re catching the artist thinking, a record of a moment of perception. Gestel’s drawing is all about the expressive potential of ink. Look at the way he varies the pressure on his brush to create lines that swell and diminish, resulting in a very dynamic surface. Some lines are confident and bold, like the outline of the figure's back, while others are tentative and sketchy, like the barely-there indications of her far leg. This interplay between the certain and the uncertain gives the drawing a sense of vulnerability and intimacy. I'm reminded of the raw, honest approach to mark-making found in the work of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to use simple materials to convey deep emotions. Drawing like this reminds us that art isn’t about perfection. It’s about process, feeling, and the ongoing conversation between the artist and the world.