Mand met bloemen 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this striking flower drawing with ink on paper sometime in his career. What grabs me is how Gestel commits to the outline, almost like a coloring book, but not quite. It's like he's daring you to fill it in. The leaves, sharply rendered, have this cool alternation of black and white, creating a rhythm that’s both decorative and a little edgy. The bow on top is so charming and old-fashioned, it adds this layer of sweetness that the rest of the drawing kinda pushes against. Look at how the lines vary, thick in some places, thin in others, giving the whole composition a pulse. It reminds me of Matisse's line drawings, where the simplicity is deceptive because every line is doing so much work. Gestel’s piece feels like a study in how much emotion and form you can wring out of the barest of means. It's a celebration of the basics!