Paard en vogel 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel drew this simple sketch of a horse and bird, Paard en vogel, with crayon on paper sometime in the early 20th century. The stark lines remind me of how drawing is really a thinking process; a constant act of editing, erasing, and refining. The textures in this work aren't just about how the crayon sits on the page, but also about the energy of the hand that made it. See the way the crayon marks leave a slightly rough residue on the paper? It's like Gestel is showing us the raw bones of form and movement. Notice the bird's wing; how it curls and swoops, as though flight itself is being investigated. Gestel seems to be in conversation with artists like Franz Marc, who were also deeply interested in animals as subjects, using them to explore ideas about nature, spirituality, and our relationship to the world. What do you think these two figures are talking about?