Untitled [female nude turned to the side in a Windsor chair] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled nude in a Windsor chair with ink on paper. Look how Diebenkorn embraces the process of artmaking, letting each brushstroke remain visible, almost like a map of his movements. The texture here is crucial. The ink is applied in a way that’s both deliberate and spontaneous, creating a surface that feels alive. In places it’s washy and transparent, in others it’s thick and opaque, giving depth to what could have been a very flat image. Notice the mark-making around the figure’s torso – the way the ink pools and bleeds, it's as if the body is both present and dissolving into the surrounding space. It's a space where form and abstraction play together. Diebenkorn's early works have a similar focus on line and form, maybe you know them? I find that this piece feels like a conversation with artists like Matisse, who was also interested in exploring the relationship between figure and ground, and the power of the simple line.