Vuist die een stok omklemt 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing, titled *Vuist die een stok omklemt*, with a graphite pencil on paper. I see a hand clenching a stick, sketched with a kind of determined simplicity, that's really powerful. It makes me think about the act of drawing itself, the artist's hand gripping the pencil, trying to capture something essential. What was he thinking, what was he hoping to express? The lines are tentative, yet firm. It is as if Gestel is searching for the right form, the perfect gesture, that embodies both strength and vulnerability. I suppose this piece relates to a tradition of artists studying hands, like Dürer. But there is a modern sensibility in its simplicity, that reminds me of the work of artists like Guston. The drawing invites us to contemplate the relationship between the hand, the tool, and the act of creation. It’s a reminder that art-making is an ongoing exploration, a conversation between artists across time.