Untitled [female nude seated on floor resting arms on chair] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink on paper drawing of a female nude, but when is difficult to say. Diebenkorn came of age as an artist in the post-war period, during which new ideas about abstract expressionism, inspired by European artists, took hold in the United States. This new aesthetic was championed by museums and galleries alike. However, as we see in this sketch, the nude persisted as a subject for artists. We might ask, then, what the social and institutional conditions were that made it possible for artists to study and draw the human body from life? What were the gender dynamics of these institutions? It’s important to consider how artists learn their craft, because this shapes not only artistic styles, but the social meanings of art. Careful study of gallery archives and instructional materials could help us understand the conditions of the studio, and the aesthetic values that underpinned Diebenkorn’s artistic practice.