Springend paard met het hoofd naar achteren gedraaid in een kader met op de achtergrond golven. 1937

Leo Gestel drew this leaping horse with its head turned back, against a background of waves, using pen and ink. There's such immediacy to the way Gestel approaches the page. The ink is fluid and direct, capturing the horse's energy with quick strokes. It’s fascinating how the stark contrast between the black ink and the white of the paper creates depth and movement. Look at the way the lines thicken and thin, suggesting the musculature of the horse and the churning of the waves. Each mark feels purposeful, and yet there's a looseness, an openness to chance. It reminds me a little of Franz Marc’s animal paintings. I love how Gestel leaves so much unsaid. It’s like he's inviting us to fill in the blanks, to complete the picture with our own imaginations. And maybe that's what art is all about – not just seeing, but participating in the act of creation.