Zelfportret met vlinderdas 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel created this self-portrait with charcoal and chalk, and it's all about the push and pull of dark and light. Gestel understood that artmaking is a process; it's about working and reworking until the thing reveals itself. Look at how he’s built up the form with these scratchy, almost frantic lines, especially around the head. The texture isn't smooth or blended, it’s raw, and you can almost feel him wrestling with the medium. There's a real physicality to the marks, which gives the piece an emotional charge. The white chalk he uses around the edges feels like he's trying to break out, or maybe he's just letting light flood the picture. I'm reminded a bit of the raw energy in some of Egon Schiele's self-portraits. It's like Gestel's saying, “Here I am, flaws and all.” Art isn't about perfection, it's about digging into the mess and finding something real.