Untitled [back view of female nude facing another model] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled drawing of two models using graphite on paper. The composition is strikingly simple: two nudes, one seen from the back, the other partly cropped, share the frame. The artist's use of line is both economical and expressive, the sparse outlines defining form and volume. Notice how Diebenkorn uses line to capture the essence of the figures, with certain areas emphasized and others merely suggested. This selective emphasis guides our eye, inviting us to complete the forms. The negative space surrounding the figures is as important as the figures themselves, creating a sense of balance. Diebenkorn prompts us to explore the relationship between figure and ground, presence and absence. It's a dynamic interplay that destabilizes traditional notions of representation. The drawing prompts reflection on the nature of perception and representation, and the silent language of lines.