Reiger met zijn kop naar achter gedraaid en zijn poot opgetild 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel created this drawing of a heron with its head turned back and leg raised, using pen in grey ink, sometime in the early 20th century. Gestel’s work exists in the shadow of two world wars that fundamentally changed the social and political landscape of Europe. His artistic development coincided with the rise of modernism; the heron embodies the stylistic explorations of artists seeking new forms of expression. The somewhat frantic, chaotic lines might suggest a world in disarray. The expressive and almost anxious energy captured in the heron’s pose suggests a feeling of displacement. The artist developed a unique visual language to reflect the changing times and the emotional states they evoked. Gestel once said, "Art is not an imitation of nature, but nature is an imitation of art," pointing to the way art shapes our perception of the world. This drawing invites us to reflect on how we see ourselves within the larger context of history and the environment.