Untitled [rear view of female nude with standing figure] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing, a rear view of a female nude with standing figure, using charcoal on paper. Isn’t it funny how a simple, descriptive title can feel so inadequate? The thing about drawing, right, is that it is all about process. You put down a mark, then another, then another. Diebenkorn uses these tight, hatched marks to suggest the volume of the figures, but they also flatten the space out. See how the shading around the seated figure’s legs turns into an almost abstract thicket of lines? I love how Diebenkorn allows the charcoal to be itself. The tooth of the paper grabs the charcoal, leaving a trail of grainy residue, and each mark feels alive with energy. It's like he’s letting us in on his thought process, one mark at a time. It is reminiscent of Matisse who worked in a similar vein. Ultimately, drawing is as much about what you leave out as what you put in. It’s about suggestion, nuance, and embracing the beautiful ambiguity of the world.