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

This drawing of a model lying back in her bra was made by Richard Diebenkorn, but we don’t know when. See how the marks are restless and searching, like he’s trying to find the form rather than just copy it? It’s all about process here, more about how the drawing is made than what it depicts. Look at the shading around the model’s torso and hips, made with quick, scribbled lines. It's not about perfect realism but more about capturing the feeling of light and volume. The physical marks of the charcoal are so immediate. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper. Think of it like a conversation between Diebenkorn, the model, and the charcoal stick, full of starts and stops and second guesses. Like a Francis Bacon drawing, it shows how unfinished is often so much more interesting than finished.