Clown temt een paard 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing, Clown Tempting a Horse, sometime in the early 20th century. Look at how Gestel uses these very confident lines to define the forms. There's a real joy in the mark-making here, isn't there? It’s as if the artist is thinking through the act of drawing itself. Gestel’s use of line is so lively, giving real character to both the clown and the horse. The clown's posture and expression are so carefully rendered with just a few strokes. Similarly, the horse's mane is captured with such energy and movement, which makes this drawing so striking. Notice the contrast between the detailed lines of the figures and the blank space around them. It focuses our attention, but it also adds to the slightly surreal, dreamlike quality. It reminds me of James Ensor's fascination with clowns and masks, that same interest in the theatrical and the grotesque, using these figures to explore deeper, often darker, aspects of human nature. Like much art, this piece invites us to bring our own feelings to it, offering no easy answers.