Twee zeemeeuwen 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel sketched these two seagulls with pencil on paper, and to me, it’s like he’s captured a fleeting thought. Look at the way the lines are so loose and free, it’s almost as if he's chasing after the birds with his pencil. The texture of the paper peeks through, adding to the sense of immediacy, like a note jotted down in a hurry. The marks are light and airy. I especially love the way he’s suggested the wings with just a few strokes. It reminds me of Matisse’s line drawings, where he could capture the essence of a form with the simplest of gestures. Both had the ability to suggest depth and movement with minimal means, it's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be about perfect representation, sometimes it’s just about capturing a feeling, a moment, a sense of being alive in the world.