Portret van een vrouw driekwart naar links before 1941

Leo Gestel made this portrait of a woman using charcoal on paper. Gestel was working in the Netherlands in the early twentieth century, a time when artists were grappling with questions of representation and identity in the face of rapid social change. The somber tone and averted gaze create an intimate, almost melancholic mood. Gestel has not given us a traditional, idealized representation of beauty. Instead, he offers a vulnerable, human image. The woman’s identity is not explicitly revealed, yet her posture and expression speak volumes. There is an emotional weight to this piece. The woman seems lost in thought, perhaps reflecting the changing role of women in society at the time. Gestel captures a sense of introspection, inviting us to consider the personal experiences and emotions that shape an individual's identity. This artwork offers a poignant commentary on the complexities of human experience.