Untitled [seated nude with her shirt open and leg crossed] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this "Untitled [seated nude with her shirt open and leg crossed]" with graphite on paper. It’s all about the line, isn't it? Just a few strokes to suggest a whole world. You can really see the process, the back-and-forth, the searching. It's like Diebenkorn is thinking through the drawing, right in front of us. Look at the way he captures the weight of the figure with such spare means. It’s just a few thin, grey lines, and mostly only suggesting the outline of a person. See how the lines around the breasts are a little darker, a little more insistent? That's where the weight is, both literally and emotionally. It’s not just a body; it’s a feeling, a mood. Diebenkorn’s line reminds me of Matisse, especially in the way he simplifies form and celebrates the act of drawing itself. But, unlike Matisse, the feeling is cool, restrained. You get the sense of the artist at work, considering, refining and embracing the beauty of simplicity.