Karikatuur van Leo Gestel op zijn ziekbed 1911 - 1941

This is Leo Gestel's caricature of himself on his sickbed, made with pencil on paper. The sketchiness gives it a real, immediate feeling. You know how when you're not feeling well, everything seems a bit off-kilter? I think Gestel captured that with the wobbly lines and exaggerated features. Look at the hand reaching out, it’s like a claw, almost separate from the body. It’s interesting how he uses line to create a sense of depth, but then flattens the figures out again with a few simple strokes. It's like he's playing with perspective, but not really caring about getting it "right." I'm reminded of Philip Guston’s late work, in the sense that both artists embraced this kind of raw, almost cartoonish style later in their careers, maybe as a way to get at something more authentic. It's like they realized art doesn't always have to be pretty to be powerful, you know?