Untitled [nude reclining with her arm across her chest] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a nude reclining with her arm across her chest, but we don’t know exactly when, and he used something pretty simple—ink on paper. Look at how the body is described with such minimal means, just an outline. There's a confidence in the line, not fussy but clear. I like the way he leaves parts open, unfinished. It suggests that drawing is a process of searching, finding the right line. Now, focus on the hand that’s closest to us. See how it’s just a suggestion of fingers and a palm? That hand, like the whole drawing, feels provisional, like a note or a thought. It's not about perfection but about capturing a feeling. Diebenkorn’s openness reminds me of Matisse, his ability to convey so much with simple lines, an ongoing conversation of ideas, where ambiguity is not a weakness but a strength.