Untitled [head of a woman looking left] 1955 - 1967

Here is an audio guide script for the artwork you provided: This drawing of a woman’s head, rendered by Richard Diebenkorn, presents us with a study in subdued emotion. Her gaze, averted to the left, and her softly modeled features, speak of introspection. Consider how the simple head covering recalls the veils and wimples seen in countless images of the Virgin Mary throughout the Middle Ages. These cloths, originally symbols of modesty and piety, often transform in portraiture into emblems of contemplation. We may recall Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, her gaze similarly directed to the side, a faint smile playing on her lips. Such averted gazes stir within us a deep psychological resonance, a sense of shared human experience, and an invitation to ponder what lies beyond the surface, what histories and emotions are contained in this single, fleeting expression. This motif is non-linear, evolving and accruing new layers of meaning across time.