Karikatuur van Leo Gestel op zijn ziekbed 1891 - 1941

Curator: This work, located here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled "Caricature of Leo Gestel on his Sickbed." Created sometime between 1891 and 1941, it is a pencil drawing on paper by an unknown artist depicting the painter Leo Gestel in an apparent moment of ill health. Editor: My goodness, what a sight! Talk about dramatic license. I see a figure almost overflowing the bed, all jagged limbs and wide eyes. Makes me feel like I've stumbled into someone's fever dream, slightly anxious, wouldn't you say? Curator: The caricature leans into a certain unease, definitely. It's rendered in the style of expressionism which flourished during the period it was created. This lends it a heightened emotionality and distorted representation. Think of how it reflects the anxieties of the artist, the subject and, maybe more broadly, that specific historical moment. It highlights not only the artist's view, but maybe societal pressures, expectations around male health and artistic life. Editor: Societal pressures—you always bring it back to that! I guess it's hard to ignore the hints. I can sense that Gestel appears vulnerable, almost monstrous in his contorted pose and enlarged features. Yet there is almost humour there. Does anyone know if it was friendly jesting, or aimed with malice? It gives it an extra dimension, right? A narrative tension I didn’t expect at all. Curator: It speaks volumes about representation and perception. By exaggerating certain features—the bulging eyes, the splayed hands—the artist emphasizes both physical discomfort and, perhaps, the emotional toll of illness on the subject. I am unsure whether that’s Gestel or an assistant attending with what appears to be an old form of surgical face mask! And, as an unnamed artist, it forces the consideration of class dynamics within artistic production during this time. Was this created as something that only made it as far as a memento or discarded scrap? Editor: Good point. Makes you wonder about all the untold art histories buried in anonymity. To finish for me, this little pencil drawing captures a fleeting, unflattering moment with undeniable vigour and a healthy dose of unsettling black humour. An off-the-cuff drawing that speaks volumes. Curator: It’s a stark and engaging depiction. Through expressive exaggeration, this caricature offers insight into ideas about sickness, artistic personality, and potential social commentary. An anonymous but evocative artifact of its era.