Untitled [nude in an armchair touching her chin with her left hand] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled ink drawing of a nude in an armchair, we don't know exactly when. The simple black lines, are quick, confident, and so good. It reminds me of Matisse! He really understood how a few lines could describe a whole world. Look at the way the lines vary in thickness, how the ink bleeds a bit here and there. This gives the drawing a sense of spontaneity, like Diebenkorn was capturing a fleeting moment. I love how the woman is positioned in the armchair, so relaxed and contemplative. The way she’s touching her chin creates a feeling of intimacy, of being invited into her private thoughts. It's like you can almost feel the texture of the paper, the way the ink sits on the surface. Artists like Elizabeth Peyton have looked to these kinds of intimate works on paper for inspiration. I think that Diebenkorn encourages us to consider art as a form which embraces ambiguity, a space where there are possibilities, not conclusions.