Besneeuwd heuvellandschap 1923

Leo Gestel made this small drawing of a snow-covered landscape using crayon. It’s all about the process, isn’t it? The way the crayon moves across the paper, creating these lovely, scratchy marks that build up the image. I love how Gestel uses the crayon to suggest the texture of the snow and the bare trees. Look at the way he's rendered the hills in the background. Short, scribbled lines give a sense of depth and distance. The crayon is used so directly, you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page. The physicality of the medium is really present, creating an emotional connection with the viewer. Gestel was part of a generation of artists who were really pushing the boundaries of representation, like Kirchner, another artist who understood the power of a simple line. It's this ongoing conversation, this exchange of ideas that makes art so alive.