Untitled [standing female nude turned left] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this striking line drawing with ink on paper. The quick, assured strokes capture the weight and volume of the female nude, while the spattering effect adds dynamism and depth. But the work's immediacy belies the labor and the conventions behind it. While the artist's hand is certainly evident here, it is also important to consider the material qualities of ink and paper. Paper is an industrial product, manufactured through repetitive pulping and pressing. The ink, too, comes from a complex commodity chain. Furthermore, the entire artistic tradition of the nude is bound up with social issues. The power dynamic between artist and model is often deeply unequal, reflecting broader patterns of gender and class. In this piece, Diebenkorn engages with these histories of creative practice, and invites us to consider the social significance embedded in even the simplest of materials.