Baadsters (schets) c. 1915 - 1921

Leo Gestel sketched "Baadsters" with ink, capturing a timeless scene of bathers. The motif of nude figures in a landscape evokes classical imagery, reminiscent of ancient Roman bathhouses. The act of bathing transcends mere hygiene; it is a ritual imbued with renewal and communal bonding. Gestel's figures, however, are rendered with a modern sensibility, their forms simplified and lines fluid. This recalls Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," where the goddess emerges from the sea. Here, Gestel presents a more grounded, earthy vision of femininity, less idealized, more immediate. The gesture of covering oneself, seen here, dates back to classical sculptures of Venus Pudica, or modest Venus, where the figure covers her breasts and genitals. This act, a blend of sensuality and shame, reveals how deeply ingrained cultural notions of modesty are. Through the symbol of the bathers, we see a continuum of human experience, a recurring theme that Gestel captures with both a nod to tradition and a modern sensibility.