Untitled [standing female nude with arms behind head] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled sketch of a standing female nude in the 20th century. It exemplifies a recurrent subject within the history of Western art, but we can ask how Diebenkorn brings the tradition of the nude into relation with the artistic conventions of his own time. Made in America, this drawing exists in a cultural context where there are a number of artistic institutions, like art schools, museums, and galleries. These institutions played a significant role in shaping artistic production and reception. They also influenced the way the human body was represented in art. The loose and gestural style may reflect Diebenkorn's interest in modernism and abstraction, and his desire to break away from more traditional and academic approaches to representing the figure. To understand this work better, we might look to the artist’s broader production and the critical reception of his nudes. By understanding the institutional and cultural context, we can develop a more complete understanding of its historical significance.