Dansende naakte vrouw 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of a dancing nude woman using crayon on paper. I love the simplicity of the marks and the muted palette. It’s like Gestel was trying to capture something essential about movement and form. The gray paper peeks through, creating a ghostly effect, as if this figure is emerging from a dream. I can imagine him working quickly, trying to keep up with the dancer’s rhythm, capturing her energy and spirit. Maybe he was thinking about other artists who had tackled the same subject. I see echoes of Matisse in the flowing lines and the flattened perspective. The way Gestel suggests volume with just a few strokes reminds me of the confidence and decisiveness found in Matisse’s drawings. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that artists are always in conversation with one another, building on the ideas of those who came before, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It is a beautiful, imperfect, and deeply human expression.