Koeien in de Beemster 1921

Leo Gestel made this watercolour, Koeien in de Beemster, with paper sometime before 1941. You know, I think of watercolour as a really immediate medium, and here, Gestel is using it to create a sense of soft, diffused light. The palette is muted, mostly greens and browns, which gives the scene a kind of sleepy, hazy atmosphere. The washes of colour are applied in layers, creating a depth that feels both atmospheric and intimate. Gestel captures the quiet, contemplative mood of cows resting in the shade on a summer's day. See how the pigment pools and settles into the paper? It’s like he’s letting the medium do its thing, embracing the unpredictable nature of watercolour to evoke a sense of place and time. Gestel's interest in capturing the essence of a scene reminds me of other artists, like Emil Nolde, who pushed the boundaries of colour and form in their own ways. Ultimately, this piece shows how an artist can transform a simple subject into something quite profound, inviting us to pause and reflect on the world around us.