Untitled [kneeling female nude] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled charcoal drawing of a kneeling female nude. It exists within a history of representing the female form, often through a male gaze. How does Diebenkorn engage with and perhaps subvert this tradition? The woman is presented in a moment of introspection. Her pose is less about display and more about contemplation. There's an emotional depth, a sense of the woman being in her own world, rather than performing for an audience. This work challenges the historical objectification of women in art. It humanizes the sitter, inviting viewers to consider her thoughts and feelings beyond her physical form. Diebenkorn gives the viewer an opportunity to consider the complexities of identity, representation, and the artist's role in shaping cultural narratives.