Vignet voor biografie van Gestel door Prof. W. van der Pluym c. 1936

Leo Gestel made this ink drawing as a vignette for a biography in 1925. It’s like a little window into another world, isn't it? Look how Gestel uses the ink, it’s almost like he’s carving the image out of the paper. The lines are so bold and confident, creating these stark contrasts between light and dark. There's a real rhythm to the marks, especially in the trees and clouds. Notice that little sheep casually grazing in the foreground? It adds a touch of whimsy and domesticity to the scene, grounding the grandeur of the church and landscape. Gestel was part of a group of early modernist artists in the Netherlands. Someone like Kirchner comes to mind. But Gestel's work always felt a little more grounded, more connected to the everyday. His art reminds us that seeing is never a passive act, it’s a way of constructing our own reality.