Untitled [torso of a nude with her legs crossed] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a nude with charcoal on paper. He captured the figure’s essence with just a few lines. I love the directness and simplicity here; you know, that thing where an artist’s really looking, and then you just know they know what they’re doing. The charcoal marks are confident but not overly precise. I feel Diebenkorn deciding what to emphasize—the curve of a hip, the angle of a leg, the shadow on the other leg. Diebenkorn explored figuration throughout his career, often alongside abstraction. This drawing relates to other sketches and paintings he made of figures in interiors, especially the Ocean Park series. It all shows a concern with light, space, and form. He’s in dialogue with Matisse and other artists who found ways to combine line, color, and form to create compelling images. For me, it’s about that conversation between artists across time—an ongoing exchange of ideas that inspires creativity. Diebenkorn’s work always embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.