Untitled [legs and buttocks of standing nude figures] 1955 - 1967

This is an untitled drawing of standing nude figures, sketched by Richard Diebenkorn with ink on paper. What strikes me first is the process, it’s clear that Diebenkorn is not trying to capture a perfect likeness but instead something more felt, more intuitive. There's a beautiful contrast between the thick, confident lines defining the figures' contours and the more frenetic, scribbled areas suggesting shadow and form. See how the dark, dense hatching around the legs anchors the figures, giving them weight and presence. Then look at the backs of the figures, described with just a few, economical lines, almost like a quick breath. This reminds me a little of Matisse's line drawings – that same sense of capturing the essence of a form with the fewest possible marks. But Diebenkorn has a rawness, an immediacy, that feels very much his own. It’s a reminder that drawing, like all art, is a conversation, an ongoing exploration of seeing and feeling.