Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1891 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this intriguing portrait of an unknown woman with ink on paper. It's all about the process, you know? The dark ink, almost like charcoal, is scrubbed onto the surface in loose, gestural strokes. I'm really drawn to the physicality of the piece. The texture is raw, immediate, and almost sculptural. Look at the way Gestel defines the woman’s face with such bold, graphic marks. Especially around the eyes and nose, there’s this incredible density of lines. It reminds me of woodcut, it feels both modern and ancient. Gestel’s mark-making captures something about the sitter’s inner life, maybe a touch of melancholy or introspection? It makes me think of Käthe Kollwitz, who also worked with printmaking to convey emotion. Both artists embraced a kind of ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences to the work.