Untitled [seated woman with her right hand on her head] 1955 - 1967

Editor: Here we have Richard Diebenkorn’s "Untitled [seated woman with her right hand on her head]", a drawing made sometime between 1955 and 1967. It's so minimal, almost skeletal. What strikes you when you look at this, considering its lines? Curator: The immediate impression is the universality of gesture. The hand on the head—it speaks of contemplation, perhaps weariness, a pause. But note the absence of facial features. What does that erase, and what does it amplify, do you think? Editor: Well, without a face, she could be anyone. Or maybe, she represents a state of mind more than an individual? Curator: Precisely! Diebenkorn removes the personal, the specific, and invites us to project our own experiences. This posture echoes across millennia in art history—consider ancient Greek sculptures of thinkers, or even Rodin’s "Thinker". This pose acts as a symbol of introspection, it transcends a mere depiction and becomes more of a visual concept. Editor: That makes sense. It feels so contemporary and ancient at the same time. Curator: Look too at how he uses line. The loose, almost scribbled quality evokes a fleeting moment, a thought half-formed. What emotion is encoded into this lack of formal polish? It resists idealized form, what does that do? Editor: It’s very honest, less posed. Raw, maybe even vulnerable. Like a sketch of a thought, as you said. Curator: It's a symbol of a process then: how we build thoughts, test them and then reach understanding. An internal dialogue made visible, where absence is as crucial as presence. This challenges the traditions of portraiture and elevates line itself. Editor: It makes me see the simple sketch as much more complete, emotionally and intellectually. Thank you for offering me new perspectives!