Untitled [female nude resting on a striped pillow] [recto] 1955 - 1967

This drawing of a female nude resting on a striped pillow was made by Richard Diebenkorn, but we don't know when. It's all about the line, isn't it? Scratchy, searching, and super direct. You can really see the artist working through the image, trying to capture the weight and form of the body with the simplest of means. Look at the way he renders the hair, a thick scribble of dark lines. It's almost like he's attacking the page, but in a good way. The lines are so raw and immediate, creating a real sense of presence. There's a vulnerability to the way the figure is posed. It reminds me a little of Matisse, with that same emphasis on line and form, but Diebenkorn has a more restless energy, like he's always pushing against the boundaries of representation. And isn't that what art's all about?