Clown en ruiter te paard 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing of a clown and a horse rider, with graphite and crayon, sometime in his life. The way the crayon is used here, it's not about filling in the lines. It's more like the color itself is the drawing, right? Look at the clown's blue jacket—it’s just a few strokes, but it gives you everything you need. And the way the forms are a bit wonky, like the outline of the face, there’s a realness to it. Gestel isn't trying to trick you into thinking this is perfect. This is a drawing. The blank space around the figures lets your mind fill in the rest, like you’re co-creating the image. The simplicity here reminds me of Matisse, especially his line drawings. It's that same sense of capturing the essence of something with as little as possible. For me, this drawing isn’t just about the clown or the rider; it’s about the joy of seeing and the freedom of making.