Untitled [seated female nude with black stockings] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated female nude, in black crayon, sometime in the 20th century. The lines are so alive, aren’t they? Like the drawing is constantly being re-seen, reconsidered. It's about process and it feels like a conversation. Look at the legs and stockings. See how the crayon is layered, almost scribbled, yet it creates a real sense of depth and form? There’s a tension between the raw, almost clumsy marks and the refined subject matter. The texture of the paper shows through, reminding us of the physicality of the drawing. I love that horizontonal line near the top. Is it the ocean? It might not be there at all, just a horizon of pure possibility. Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series comes to mind, with its similar balance between abstraction and representation. Like so much great art, this drawing embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the table.