Untitled [side view of a female nude seated on a stool] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing of a seated nude with what looks like simple brushstrokes. It's amazing how, with such minimal means, he captures the weight and form of the figure. The ink is applied with a sense of urgency, almost like he's trying to capture a fleeting impression. I love the way the ink pools and bleeds, creating these rich, dark areas that contrast with the bare paper. It’s like he's letting the material do its thing, embracing the accidents and imperfections that come with the process. Take a look at the way he renders the model's torso, how the light catches her side. You can feel the push and pull between abstraction and figuration. Diebenkorn was always walking that line, and it's what makes his work so compelling. You could look at this alongside the work of Matisse. Both artists suggest so much with so little. There's no one right way to look at this.