Leo Gestel (November 11, 1881, Woerden- November 26, 1941, Hilversum) was a Dutch painter. His father Willem Gestel was an artist, too. Leo Gestel experimented with cubism, expressionism, futurism and postimpressionism. He was among Piet Mondrian the leading artist of Dutch modernism and Gestel first introduced this current to the Nederlands.
The first drawing lessons were given to Gestel by his father. Moreover his uncle, an artist who painted with Vincent van Gogh together, taught him in art. Due to financial problems Gestel created advertisements (e.g. for Philips) an illustrated books. Whilst travelling to Paris he came in touch with the upcoming avant-garde movement. As early as the year 1913 Herwarth Walden offered him to exhibit a few distinguished works of art at the "Erster Deutscher Herbstsalon" in Berlin. Generally Gestel spent the summer in Bergen, where he joined the Bergen School. In 1929 the majority of his works were burned when a fire destroyed his studio. Thereupon he moved to Blaricum. Today Gestel is considered with Piet Mondrian as the most influential protagonist of Dutch modernism, despite his "modest" talent.