Leo Gestel (1881-1941)
Bavarian Forest
Signed 'Leo Gestel' bottom right, dated '23 and annotated 'Bayr-Wald'
Charcoal on paper
46 x 61 cm
Frame: 66 x 81 cm

Condition:
Excellent

Provenance:
Provenance: Sotheby's Amsterdam, December 21, 2004, lot 296; Private collection Amsterdam

Extra information:
In 1923 and 1924, the painter and draughtsman Leo Gestel undertook several trips through Germany to Italy, including a visit to Bavaria. The periods spent in Bavaria, with its rolling Alpine landscapes and picturesque villages, inspired Gestel to create intimate sketches and vibrant compositions. Although Gestel is primarily known for his luminist works and experiments with Cubism, his sketches from this time show a certain stillness. Bavaria served as a kind of preview of the light and color brilliance he would later find in Italy. For Gestel, these travels were not only a search for inspiration but also a way to broaden his artistic horizons in a Europe still recovering from World War I. Bavaria offered him a serene stopover, where he captured his observations with a sense of warmth and simplicity.