Vignet voor biografie van Gestel door Prof. W. van der Pluym 1935 - 1936

Leo Gestel made this drawing for a biography using ink on paper. It’s all about line. It's so simple, but it gives a real sense of place. You see the village, the figures, the mill... I imagine Gestel standing there, the wind blowing, quickly trying to get the whole scene down. He’s not precious, just trying to catch the feeling of the place. I'm thinking about how he simplifies everything to its essence, like how he draws those clouds with just a few strokes. It reminds me of the way some abstract painters reduce forms to their basic shapes. I see a conversation happening across time, between artists who are all trying to capture something real, something essential, about the world around them, or the world inside. Painting is a form of expression. There is ambiguity and uncertainty but we find multiple interpretations and meanings.