Untitled [female nude holding chair as support and stepping up] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a female nude with ink on paper. The fluidity of the ink defines the form and character of the figure. The artist's touch is visible in the stark contrast between light and shadow. This can be seen in the density of the ink, which ranges from delicate washes to bold, decisive strokes. These convey the weight and volume of the model, and the chair she is leaning on. But it's not just about skillful rendering. Diebenkorn coaxes the ink to do what he wants, but he also lets the medium speak for itself. Gravity encourages pools of black, defining contours and imbuing them with a sense of immediacy. The process of drawing itself becomes part of the image, a meditation on both form and the act of creation. It's a reminder that every artwork is born from the intimate relationship between artist, material, and process, blurring the lines between the idea and its execution.