Spreading Spade 1981

"Spreading Spade," a 1981 lithograph by Richard Diebenkorn, is a striking example of the artist's transition from his "Ocean Park" series to a more abstract and geometric style. The composition is dominated by a large, spade-shaped form rendered in muted greens and reds, set against a dark background. The spade is intersected by thin, horizontal lines, and a stylized club symbol in blue and red occupies the center. Diebenkorn's use of color and simple geometric shapes evokes a sense of both order and dynamism, characteristic of his later work.