Untitled [seated nude facing left] 1955 - 1967

This ink drawing of a seated nude facing left was made by Richard Diebenkorn. The wash is applied in dark, gestural marks that create a sense of depth and shadow. I can imagine Diebenkorn being deeply engaged in the act of observation, trying to capture the essence of the figure with just a few, well-placed lines. The ink seems to flow effortlessly across the page, guided by his intuitive understanding of form and light. I'm curious as to what was going through his head at the time. Was he thinking about earlier figure drawings from art history? Or was he just lost in the sheer pleasure of mark-making? That one confident stroke along the contour of the thigh tells you everything. It's sensual and it's precise. And the quick, hatched lines that define the shadows suggest a sense of urgency, as if he's trying to capture a fleeting moment. Diebenkorn’s art is like a conversation across time, an artist responding to other artists. Painting is like that—a form of embodied expression. It's okay not to know what it all means. Just feel it.