Untitled [one female nude leaning back on another female nude] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled drawing of two female nudes with what looks like charcoal on paper. The sketchy lines suggest a sense of searching, of feeling out the forms as he goes. The beauty of this drawing lies in its incompleteness, right? Look at the way he renders the figures: bold strokes that define the contours, yet fade in and out, allowing the white of the paper to breathe. It's as if Diebenkorn is inviting us into his process, showing us his corrections and hesitations. The woman in the back arches, her face upturned, her hair scribbled in a mass of lines, while the figure supporting her is more grounded, drawn with a heavier hand. The contrast in line weight creates a dynamic tension, a sense of push and pull. Diebenkorn’s teacher was Matisse, and although Diebenkorn went on to make work that looks very different, here you can see the master’s clear, expressive lines. It's a reminder that art is a conversation, an ongoing exploration of form, feeling, and mark-making.