Reiger aan het water met twee vissen bij zijn poten 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of a heron, titled 'Reiger aan het water met twee vissen bij zijn poten', using graphite. Gestel was a Dutch artist who came of age during a time of significant social and political change. The rise of industrialization and urbanization led to new ideas about nature, identity, and the place of humans in the world. Within this context, Gestel’s sketch of a heron can be interpreted as more than just a simple depiction of wildlife. Instead it becomes a reflection of a shifting relationship between humanity and the natural world. There’s a raw, almost vulnerable quality to the drawing. The heron is not romanticized or idealized. Gestel’s sketch captures the bird in a moment of quiet contemplation. It invites us to reflect on our own place within the delicate balance of the environment, a theme that resonates as strongly today as it did in Gestel’s time.