Untitled [model lying back in her bra] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing, Untitled [model lying back in her bra], using graphite on paper. Look at the nervous energy in those lines! They capture the model’s pose and the light falling across her body. I can just imagine Diebenkorn working quickly to capture the fleeting impression of the figure. He’s not trying to be perfect, but rather trying to catch something essential and alive. It's so intimate, isn't it? The way he renders the simple bra and the shadows around her abdomen...The pressure of the graphite makes the lines bold and strong. It's like you can feel his hand moving across the paper, testing and feeling his way. It's interesting to see how this drawing relates to Diebenkorn's wider practice. You can sense the abstract shapes of his later 'Ocean Park' paintings are already here. Artists are always in conversation with one another across time, taking inspiration and experimenting with new ideas, and opening a space of imagination around the artwork. It’s a reminder that painting is a form of embodied expression that embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations.