Untitled [seated female nude with hand on left knee] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an untitled charcoal and pencil drawing of a seated nude female figure, made by Richard Diebenkorn sometime between 1955 and 1967. I’m really struck by the woman's gaze, it feels so direct and unyielding. What stands out to you? Curator: You know, when I look at this, I feel an odd mix of intimacy and distance. It's as if Diebenkorn is both incredibly close to his subject, capturing her presence with raw immediacy, but also holding back, keeping a certain observational detachment. He uses such quick, almost frantic lines, especially in the darker areas, creating a sense of shadow and depth, wouldn't you agree? The blank space is doing just as much work here. Do you think it creates a psychological weight to the figure? Editor: That's a great way to put it! Yes, that frenetic energy gives her form, but that stillness you pointed out lets you ponder her story. Does it make the figure timeless, without anything tying her to a certain decade or class? Curator: Precisely! Think of the Ashcan School influences, that search for realism without romanticism… Now, is she anonymous or is it about something deeper, some internal state the artist sought to reveal? The beauty is we can all form different opinions. And that ambiguity? That’s the juicy stuff of art, isn’t it? It stays with you long after you've walked away. Editor: Absolutely. It's much more than just a sketch of a figure, it's a real statement of identity and place! I never would have picked up on the Ashcan undercurrent without your insights. Thanks for unpacking this with me.