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Leo Gestelartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsmanWoerden 1881-1941 Hilversum

biography of Leendert 'Leo' Gestel

Portrait of artist, painter, watercolourist and draughtsman Leendert 'Leo' Gestel

Portrait of Leendert 'Leo' Gestel

The oeuvre of Leo Gestel (1881-1941) shows influences of impressionism, luminism, fauvism and cubism. However, his talent guarantees a unique, Dutch version of these international art movements. Throughout his life he remains aware of his role as a pioneer and searches for new forms and styles to shape visible reality to his will. In the years 1900-1914, Gestel, together with Jan Sluijters and Piet Mondriaan, was one of the first Dutch moderns to join the European avant-garde in Paris around 1904. At the Salon des Independants, the trio became acquainted with neo-impressionism, fauvism and luminism and introduced the luminist landscape and female nude in provocative, bright colors in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 20th century. Amid the dark and traditional canvases that dominated the Dutch art world at the time, they caused a great stir with their explosion of colour.

Gestel is training to become a drawing teacher at the National Normal School for Drawing Teachers in Amsterdam and then takes evening classes at the National Academy of Visual Arts with August Allebé and Nicolaas van der Waay. In 1904, Gestel moved into a studio on the attic floor in the Tweede Jan Steenstraat. This meeting place for Amsterdam artists and intellectuals was soon called the Jan Steenzolder. Gestel, a gifted draftsman to his friends, is renamed 'Leo' – short for Leonardo (da Vinci). Born as 'Leendert', he soon used this name to sign his names. Life as a free artist is not easy and he earns some extra money as an illustrator for books and newspapers and with advertising assignments.

Between 1905 and 1909, after his first trip to Paris in 1904, Gestel immersed himself in the analysis of colour, following the example of the French neo-impressonists and pointillists. He works increasingly outdoors and focuses on light studies in which he applies the new painting technique of division. In Woerden, Montfoort and near Nijmegen he creates luminist landscapes that are reminiscent of the Fauvist way of painting. In bright colors and with individual keys, placed next to each other, he expresses the emotions that the landscape evokes in him.

In 1910 Gestel made a second trip to Paris, where city life inspired him to make works with the 'beau monde'. On his return he met his future wife An Overtoom, who regularly appeared as a model in his work and whom he married in 1922. In 1911, Gestel met Piet Boendermaker, whom he became an advisor and with whom he would maintain a close friendship throughout his life. From 1912 onwards, Gestel experiments with cubist formal language and creates portraits, landscapes and flower still lifes in a unique cubism. He spent a large part of 1914 in the company of An, the Boendermaker couple, Mommie Schwarz and Else Berg on Mallorca, where his groundbreaking, cubist works were created. Large canvases with earthy tones, natural forms, fragmented as Braque and Cézanne did. Immediately after the outbreak of the First World War, Gestel traveled to the Belgian border to draw the refugees there. The traveling exhibition in 1916 with these works sold for charity was a great success.

In 1919, Gestel's expressionism broke through and he worked around Koedijk near Alkmaar, where he came to know the grandeur of the polder landscape with its fields, meadows and canals in their ever-changing light and shadow patterns. In 1921, Gestel rediscovered nature in the Beemster with its blossoming orchards, frolicking and grazing lambs and calves. For the first time, animal figures appear in the countless drawings, pastels and watercolours he makes. In 1921, Gestel decided to settle in Mons, the village where Henri Le Fauconnier, Arnout Colnot, Piet van Wijngaerdt and others worked in a dark, expressionist style with sober forms in a broad brushstroke. Between 1925 and 1927 – due to a marital crisis – he lived in Flanders, where his work, under the influence of the Flemish expressionists Gustave De Smet and Constant Permeke, became increasingly flat and stylized. In 1929, a major fire destroyed Gestel's studio and much of his work was lost. After the fire, Gestel moves to Blaricum, where he will work almost exclusively in chalk, gouache and tempera. Depictions become more and more unearthly and he describes the female nude as the primeval woman depicted in more or less formed shapes. In the summers he can often be found in Zandvoort where he sketches life on the beach and in Spakenburg and Bunschoten where he works on stylized portraits and figure pieces. In the meantime, a stomach ailment from which he had been suffering since 1918 increasingly troubled him and from which he eventually died in 1941. Gestel was a hard worker and goes down in history as a restless searching artist who continuously strove for innovation, with nature as a starting point. His many travels were indispensable for this innovation.

for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Leo Gestel


Leo Gestel | Flower still life, oil on canvas, 70.6 x 55.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1926 on the reverse

Leo Gestel

painting • for sale

Flower still life

Leo Gestel | Woman bathing, oil on canvas, 33.5 x 25.6 cm, signed l.r. and dated '09

Leo Gestel

painting • for sale

Woman bathing

Leo Gestel | Flower medallion, watercolour on paper, 13.0 x 22.9 cm

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Flower medallion

Leo Gestel | Flower medallion, watercolour on paper, 15.3 x 22.9 cm, signed l.r.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Flower medallion

Leo Gestel | -, pastel on paper, 66.0 x 77.0 cm, executed ca. 1932-1934

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

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Leo Gestel | Dancer, pencil and chalk on paper, 65.0 x 48.8 cm

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Dancer

Leo Gestel | Seated woman with a horse, pastel on paper, 63.0 x 48.0 cm, signed l.l. (indistinctly) and dated 1932 (indistinctly)

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Seated woman with a horse

Leo Gestel | Travellers, watercolour on paper, 37.5 x 55.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1907

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Travellers

Leo Gestel | Reclining nude, charcoal and pastel on paper, 47.0 x 62.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '31

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Reclining nude

Leo Gestel | A roller skating rink with Japanese lanterns, black chalk and pastel on paper, 41.5 x 52.0 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1910-1911

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

A roller skating rink with Japanese lanterns

Leo Gestel | Conversation in the park, charcoal and pastel on paper, 50.1 x 33.4 cm, signed l.l. and executed ca. 1910

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Conversation in the park


previously for salepaintings, watercolours and drawings by Leo Gestel


Leo Gestel | Zinnwald, oil on canvas, 66.0 x 70.0 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1923

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Zinnwald

Leo Gestel | Flowers in a tin jug, oil on canvas, 70.5 x 63.0 cm, signed l.l. and painted in 1915-1917

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Flowers in a tin jug

Leo Gestel | Farms along a cornfield, oil on canvas, 37.0 x 62.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1904

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Farms along a cornfield

Leo Gestel | A sad day, oil on canvas, 48.7 x 72.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '09

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

A sad day

Leo Gestel | A flower stillife, oil on canvas, 41.3 x 53.4 cm, signed l.r. and dated '15

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

A flower stillife

Leo Gestel | A summer day near Montfoort, oil on canvas, 70.6 x 55.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '09

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

A summer day near Montfoort

Leo Gestel | A tree in autumn, oil on canvas laid down on board, 52.4 x 38.5 cm, signed u.r. and painted ca. 1909-1910

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

A tree in autumn

Leo Gestel | Night (the Amstel Bridge over the Amstel River in Amsterdam), oil on canvas, 52.0 x 64.8 cm, signed l.r. and dated '08

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Night (the Amstel Bridge over the Amstel River in Amsterdam)

Leo Gestel | Nude reclining, oil on canvas, 82.3 x 102.2 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1931

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Nude reclining

Leo Gestel | Flower still life with tiger lilies, oil on canvas, 33.3 x 25.3 cm, signed l.l. and painted ca. 1912-1913

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Flower still life with tiger lilies

Leo Gestel | De hoedenwinkel, oil on canvas, 45.0 x 37.2 cm, gesigneerd l.o. and te dateren ca. 1908

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

De hoedenwinkel

Leo Gestel | A view of Woerden, mixed media on paper on wood, 62.7 x 49.3 cm, signed l.r. and dated '19

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

A view of Woerden

Leo Gestel | Man and woman with a horseman in the background, gouache on paper, 37.2 x 27.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1928

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Man and woman with a horseman in the background

Leo Gestel | Seated naked, pastel on paper, 64.0 x 45.5 cm, executed ca 1930

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Seated naked

Leo Gestel | Seated naked, pastel on paper, 64.0 x 45.5 cm, executed ca 1930

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Seated naked

Leo Gestel | Corn sheaves, watercolour and gouache on paper, 35.7 x 50.0 cm

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Corn sheaves

Leo Gestel | Portrait of a lady with a hat, chalk on paper, 47.0 x 33.5 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1910-1911

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Portrait of a lady with a hat

Leo Gestel | Farm and cattle near Drongen along the Leie, Flanders, watercolour and gouache on paper, 47.6 x 61.7 cm, signed l.r. and dated 'YC' 1926

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Farm and cattle near Drongen along the Leie, Flanders

Leo Gestel | The art collector Piet Boendermaker moving to Bergen, ink and watercolour on paper, 8.8 x 12.1 cm, signed l.l. and dated 'Bergen' oct. 1918

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The art collector Piet Boendermaker moving to Bergen

Leo Gestel | The art collector Piet Boendermaker moving to Bergen, ink and watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 11.8 cm, signed l.r. and painted ca. 1918

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The art collector Piet Boendermaker moving to Bergen

Leo Gestel | Paradise, watercolour and gouache on paper, 8.9 x 14.1 cm, signed l.r. with monogram

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Paradise

Leo Gestel | Woman on the beach, gouache on paper, 72.7 x 51.9 cm, painted ca. 1930-1932

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Woman on the beach

Leo Gestel | An elegant lady, seen from the back, pencil and watercolour on paper, 30.5 x 20.2 cm, signed l.r. with initial and painted circa 1908

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

An elegant lady, seen from the back

Leo Gestel | Spring in the Beemster, watercolour on paper, 71.5 x 98.7 cm, painted in 1921-1922

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Spring in the Beemster

Leo Gestel | Flower medallions, watercolour on paper, 28.8 x 22.9 cm, signed l.r.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Flower medallions

Leo Gestel | Three ladies on the Scheveningen boulevard, black chalk and watercolour on paper, 32.5 x 27.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 'Scheveningen '09'

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Three ladies on the Scheveningen boulevard

Leo Gestel | Nach Amerongen: Emperor Wilhelm II on his return, watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 14.0 cm, signed l.r. and painted '18

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nach Amerongen: Emperor Wilhelm II on his return

Leo Gestel | Seated nude with horses, pastel on paper, 100.7 x 69.2 cm, signed l.r. and painted 1932

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Seated nude with horses

Leo Gestel | Nach Paris: Emperor Wilhelm II on his horse, watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 14.0 cm, signed l.r. and painted in  1918

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nach Paris: Emperor Wilhelm II on his horse

Leo Gestel | Family taking a bath, charcoal and pastel on paper, 20.9 x 24.2 cm, signed l.l.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Family taking a bath

Leo Gestel | Still life with jars, cup and saucer and a fruit bowl, black chalk on paper, 73.5 x 98.3 cm, signed l.r. and dated '21

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Still life with jars, cup and saucer and a fruit bowl

Leo Gestel | A view on Koedijk, watercolour on paper, 72.0 x 98.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated 'Koedijk 1919'

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A view on Koedijk

Leo Gestel | Farmer and horse, pastel on paper, 25.8 x 32.8 cm, signed l.r. and dated '28

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Farmer and horse

Leo Gestel | Charity Bazaar, Madrid, ink and watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 13.0 cm, signed l.l. and painted 1914

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Charity Bazaar, Madrid

Leo Gestel | Strolling couple, pen and watercolour on paper, 26.5 x 20.0 cm, signed l.r. with monogram

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Strolling couple

Leo Gestel | A view of Woerden, watercolour on paper, 65.5 x 50.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 'Woerden 1917'

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A view of Woerden

Leo Gestel | A native of Spakenburg, pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper, 22.7 x 15.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 'Bunschoten, Spakenburg', August '02

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A native of Spakenburg

Leo Gestel | Piet Boendermaker, black chalk and watercolour on paper, 77.5 x 69.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated August 1st Bergen 1917 on the bottle

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Piet Boendermaker

Leo Gestel | An elegant lady reading, chalk and watercolour on paper, 36.0 x 27.3 cm, signed l.r.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

An elegant lady reading

Leo Gestel | The party, black chalk and watercolour on paper, 21.4 x 18.1 cm

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The party

Leo Gestel | Friends (recto); study in pencil of horse and bull, pastel on paper, 76.7 x 56.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1927

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Friends (recto); study in pencil of horse and bull

Leo Gestel | Nude, charcoal and pastel on paper laid down on board, 49.0 x 64.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '31

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Nude

Leo Gestel | Sheepshearers, charcoal and watercolour on paper, 47.4 x 61.5 cm, signed l.r. and painted circa 1926

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Sheepshearers

Leo Gestel | A windmill, Belgium, black chalk, watercolour and pastel on paper, 51.0 x 38.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1914

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A windmill, Belgium

Leo Gestel | A view of a landscape, Huizen, pastel on paper, 36.3 x 54.0 cm, signed l.r. twice and dated '29

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A view of a landscape, Huizen

Leo Gestel | A flower still life, watercolour on paper, 99.0 x 77.8 cm, signed u.l. and dated 1917

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A flower still life

Leo Gestel | A farm in spring, Eemnes, pastel on paper, 61.0 x 76.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated '39

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A farm in spring, Eemnes

Leo Gestel | A seated nude, chalk on paper, 62.0 x 48.0 cm, signed l.c. and dated '31

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A seated nude

Leo Gestel | A seated nude, pastel on paper, 63.0 x 48.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated '32

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A seated nude

Leo Gestel | A seated nude, pastel on paper, 61.5 x 46.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '31

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A seated nude

Leo Gestel | Portrait of Antje, the artist's sister, ink and coloured pencil on paper, 17.0 x 13.5 cm, signed l.r. with monogram

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Portrait of Antje, the artist's sister

Leo Gestel | The orchard 'De Eenhoorn', Beemster, watercolour on paper, 51.5 x 70.3 cm, signed l.l.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The orchard 'De Eenhoorn', Beemster

Leo Gestel | The cattle market, mixed media on paper, 32.0 x 24.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '09

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The cattle market

Leo Gestel | Having a party at the Boendermaker's house, pastel on paper, 37.0 x 46.2 cm, signed u.l. and dated 1910

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Having a party at the Boendermaker's house

Leo Gestel | Horses by a farm, watercolour on paper, 70.0 x 95.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 1922

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Horses by a farm

Leo Gestel | Numerous figures on the ice, watercolour on paper, 9.0 x 14.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated 1919

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Numerous figures on the ice

Leo Gestel | The theatre, watercolour on paper, 32.0 x 49.0 cm, signed l.r.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The theatre

Leo Gestel | Make a last effort, mixed media on paper, 14.0 x 9.0 cm, signed l.r.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Make a last effort

Leo Gestel | The season's greetings 1903, pen and pencil on paper, 14.0 x 9.0 cm, signed l.c.

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The season's greetings 1903

Leo Gestel | Prosit, watercolour on paper, 14.0 x 9.0 cm, signed l.l. with monogram

Leo Gestel

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Prosit

Leo Gestel | Walking the dog, 14.0 x 9.0 cm

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Walking the dog

Leo Gestel | Certaine Lucie, 14.0 x 9.0 cm

Leo Gestel

painting • previously for sale

Certaine Lucie


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