Lichaam van een paard 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel's "Lichaam van een paard," or "Body of a Horse," is a study in graphite that captures the essence of form through minimal means. The sketch presents an exercise in dynamic tension, using bold, angular lines to define the horse's body. Gestel captures the horse with a focus on its underlying structure and the movement of its weight through space. He uses hatching to suggest volume and shadow which is essential to understanding the animal's mass and energy. The composition isolates the figure against the blank page, emphasizing the play of line and form as the primary subject. The drawing destabilizes conventional representation by reducing the horse to its most fundamental components, challenging viewers to reconsider how we perceive and construct images of the natural world. Gestel's work encourages an ongoing dialogue about the possibilities of representation.