Drie boeren werken op het land 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of farmers working in a field with pencil on paper. It’s all tentative lines and ghosted shapes, as if he’s trying to find the essence of the scene with the least amount of effort. I can imagine him out in the field, squinting in the sun, quickly trying to get the gestures of the workers and animals down before the light changes or they move on. And look how the sun seems to beat down, simplified to a quick circle. It reminds me of some of Van Gogh’s drawings, that same feeling of trying to capture a fleeting moment. It’s not about details here, but about the rhythm of labor, the connection between humans and the land. It makes me think about how artists are always trying to find new ways to see the world, borrowing ideas from each other, and passing them on. It’s like a big, ongoing conversation that never really ends.