Untitled [nude reclining on her side] [recto] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn’s "Untitled [nude reclining on her side]," an ink and pencil drawing created sometime between 1955 and 1967. I find it quite striking how the heavy, almost frantic lines create such a sense of relaxed repose. What elements stand out to you? Curator: The composition, certainly. Notice the interplay of line and void, how the stark black ink both defines and obscures the form. The use of contour—often broken and uneven—serves not to delineate a precise figure, but to suggest mass and volume. The formal relationship between the reclining figure and the negative space around it creates a dynamic tension. Are we looking at a complete representation, or an exploration of abstract forms derived from the figure? Editor: It feels unfinished, almost like a study. Is that a fair assessment? Curator: Precisely. The beauty lies, in part, within its open-ended nature. The hatching, especially around the torso, complicates the surface, drawing attention to the materiality of the ink itself. The structuralist might see a deliberate disruption of conventional representation, challenging our preconceived notions of the nude. Does the looseness contribute to your perception of "relaxed repose"? Editor: It does. The energy in the marks hints at movement and life, despite the stillness of the pose. I appreciate how you've directed my attention away from a simple reading and towards the techniques themselves. Curator: It is in these structural and material elements that the artwork communicates. Editor: I’ll be sure to remember to really consider the composition more analytically. Thank you.