Untitled [two figures] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled drawing of two figures with charcoal on paper. Although undated, it presents an interesting view into the artist’s process and perhaps also into his personal life, which could tell us a lot about the social context in which he worked. Diebenkorn was part of the Bay Area Figurative Movement in California during the 1950s and 60s. After abstract expressionism became the dominant style, artists like Diebenkorn began reintroducing the human figure into their work. We might ask why this happened, what institutions were involved, and what it tells us about the social and political mood of the time. Was it a reaction against the perceived excesses of abstraction, a desire to reconnect with the everyday, or something else? By researching Diebenkorn’s life, his relationships, and the artistic circles he moved in, we can understand his art as something much more than just a picture. It is a product of its time, shaped by social forces, and capable of reflecting and commenting on the world around it.