Paard in zee 1891 - 1941

Curator: Let's explore Leo Gestel's "Paard in zee," or "Horse at Sea," created sometime between 1891 and 1941. It's currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first impression is the linework. It's so simple, almost rudimentary, but it conjures this really forceful image. The repetition of lines forming the waves almost feels like labor, an act of marking time. Curator: The horse emerging from the water has powerful symbolic weight. Horses in mythology often represent strength, freedom, even untamed passion. Think of Poseidon’s horses, creatures of the sea itself. Editor: And this one looks half-formed, still emerging from the watery matrix, it brings forward the act of creating. I can’t help but think of the tools Gestel used – the nib, the paper. What inks would have been available to him at the time? This specific blue has something to say about the trade and material culture around the time. Curator: Blue has held significance across cultures and eras, often tied to spirituality, the heavens, truth. Seeing it employed here gives the image an almost mystical feel. Is this beast about to breach and create chaos? Editor: Perhaps the 'chaos' is more connected with labor in art production, how he makes us perceive and understand. This method of representation can remind us how it was made; this is what remains present here. Curator: And yet, beyond its physical manifestation as an ink drawing, there’s a deeper layer – it represents a longing, a primal connection with nature, tapping into shared visual language across different places. Editor: I agree, but what really stays with me is how he does that – using something simple, ink on paper, and repetitious, careful movements. To me, it embodies the transformative power in the everyday. Curator: It gives us a great deal to think about, that's undeniable. It's a striking exploration of animal, color, and metaphor within Gestel's broader oeuvre. Editor: Absolutely. A beautiful illustration of how simple tools in the hands of a craftsman can evoke such depth.