Twee badende vrouwen en een rugfiguur c. 1929 - 1930

Leo Gestel made this watercolour of three bathing women and a figure seen from the back at an unknown date. Gestel's rendering of these figures is so fascinating. He has used thin washes of watercolour, and the result is a layered effect, creating depth through color and form. You can see how the paint pools in certain areas, giving a subtle texture to the surface. It’s as if he’s building up the image through a process of revealing and concealing, much like how we come to understand each other. Look at the woman in the foreground, the way she is rendered in warm brown hues. The artist captures the soft curve of her form with just a few strokes, yet there’s so much life in that simple gesture. The shadows and highlights play across her skin, giving her a sense of volume and presence. It’s almost like a dance between the artist’s hand and the subject, a conversation between the eye and the heart. Gestel reminds me of artists like Matisse, who captured the beauty of the everyday in his bold, expressive paintings. He also reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who captured the beauty of the female form.