Aangespannen paard en kopstudies 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of a harnessed horse and head studies with pencil on paper. The overall mood is quiet, even a little melancholic, don’t you think? I can just imagine the artist outside somewhere, rapidly trying to capture the scene before the light changes or the horse moves on. Look at those ghostly faces fading in and out of the background. There's a real sense of layering here, almost like Gestel is sketching one idea on top of another. I can see a dialogue emerging on the page; the artist is thinking through drawing. It reminds me of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, the way they were so interested in modern life and the fleeting moment. Gestel’s sketch is like a little window into the past, capturing a world in motion. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always have to be polished and perfect; sometimes the raw energy of a sketch can be just as powerful.