Untitled [nude resting on her left side] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a nude resting, with what looks like charcoal on paper. I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the surface, trying to capture the essence of the figure. The lines are so spare, but they manage to convey so much about the weight and form of the body. I wonder what Diebenkorn was thinking about as he was drawing? Was he focused on the model in front of him, or was he also thinking about other artists who had drawn nudes before him, like Matisse? There’s something so vulnerable about the way the figure is posed, her face obscured by her hand. It reminds me of those moments when you're just lost in thought, completely unaware of being observed. This piece has a casual, intimate feel, and it makes me think about the ongoing dialogue between artists across time, each one building on the work of those who came before.