Vignet voor biografie van Gestel door Prof. W. van der Pluym 1935 - 1936

Leo Gestel made this vignette with pen and ink for a biography around the early 20th Century. It's all about the line, isn't it? Gestel uses it to define form, create texture, and even suggest movement. Look at how he renders the haystacks, for instance. Each one is built up with these quick, curving strokes that somehow make you feel the density and weight of the hay. The same goes for the trees, they're just scribbles, but they create a sense of depth. The real magic for me is how Gestel suggests a whole world with so little. There's a road, a windmill, a few figures working in the fields. It’s all just lines on paper, but it feels like a living, breathing place. He reminds me a bit of Van Gogh, another Dutch artist who knew how to make lines sing. Ultimately art’s not about perfection but about the feeling it evokes.