Untitled [female nude posing in studio] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing on paper. It depicts a female nude in a studio. I can imagine Diebenkorn wielding his brush, dipping into the ink, and then – swoosh – a bold stroke defines a limb. He’s not trying to trick us into seeing reality; instead, it's like he's grabbing at something fleeting. The ink kind of blooms and bleeds, doesn't it? It’s a dance between control and accident. The way he balances light and dark, it reminds me of Matisse. The studio setting is so interesting; Diebenkorn's line is like a conversation, isn't it? It’s like he’s riffing on the space around the figure, trying to pin down something essential, not just about her, but about seeing itself. Painting, it’s not just about the image; it’s about the energy of looking, feeling, and responding. It's about the artist's ongoing investigation of what it means to see and be seen.