Untitled [female nude resting sideways in chair] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing of a nude, resting in a chair, on paper, but when? We don't know! What's interesting here is how Diebenkorn allows the image to emerge through process; he lays down a dark wash in places, and then lets the composition find itself. Look at the texture of the ink. It's fluid, washy, and immediate. You can see exactly what the brush did as it moved across the surface. It’s as if Diebenkorn is saying, "Here's the mark, take it or leave it." See the line that traces the inside of the model’s thigh? It’s so confident and fast, but it also leaves gaps and uncertainties. It's not about getting it right, it's about getting it down. Diebenkorn reminds me of Matisse who also used line and form to suggest a figure, without being overly descriptive. It’s like they both knew that art isn't about perfection, it's about the conversation between the artist and the medium.