Vier koeien in een landschap 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel sketched these four cows in a landscape using charcoal and crayon on paper. What strikes me is how Gestel embraces the immediacy of the medium. You can almost feel him capturing the essence of the cows in swift, confident strokes, it is a kind of direct translation of perception into form. Look at how the charcoal lines define the contours of the cows, creating a sense of volume with minimal effort. The crayon adds subtle color variations, a pale brown for their backs and a whisper of green and yellow for the grass. The texture of the paper peeks through, adding a tactile quality to the image. Notice the delicate touch of blue crayon in the top left, which suggests the sky and adds depth to the composition. It’s these moments of understated beauty that elevate the piece. Gestel's work reminds me a little of Marsden Hartley, especially in the way he uses a simplified visual language to express a deep connection to his subjects. Both artists show us that art isn’t about perfect representation, but about feeling and expressing the world around us.