Studieblad met kudde paarden 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this study sheet of a herd of horses with pen and ink, and what strikes me is the confidence of the line. There's a real economy here, like he's just letting the horses emerge from the page with the fewest possible marks. Look at how he captures the movement, the energy of these animals. It's not about perfect representation, it's about feeling, about a gesture. The lines are scratchy, almost nervous, which gives the drawing a real sense of immediacy, of being in the moment. And it’s not just the horses themselves, but the little scribbles of ground beneath their feet, like they're kicking up dust as they run. Gestel’s mark-making reminds me a bit of Franz Marc. It’s like he’s trying to get at some essential truth about the animal, its spirit, rather than just its physical form. Art isn't about answers, it’s about the questions we ask and the conversations we have along the way.