Untitled [front view of a reclining female nude] 1955 - 1967

This is an untitled drawing of a reclining nude, made with charcoal on paper by Richard Diebenkorn. Look at the immediacy of the charcoal line, so expressive! The line is bold and confident, but also tentative, searching. You can almost feel Diebenkorn working and reworking the image, trying to capture the weight and form of the model. See how the charcoal is smudged in places, creating soft shadows and a sense of depth. Notice how the darkest lines define the contours of the figure, while lighter lines suggest the planes and curves of the body. This drawing reminds me of Matisse, in the way it balances abstraction and representation. Like Matisse, Diebenkorn reduces the figure to its essential forms, but still manages to convey a sense of sensuality and presence. Ultimately, it's a beautiful example of how a simple medium like charcoal can be used to create a complex and compelling work of art.