Seated Woman 1966

This is Richard Diebenkorn’s ‘Seated Woman’ made with charcoal on paper. What strikes me most is how Diebenkorn uses line, not just to define the figure, but as a thing in itself, a kind of energetic force field. Look at the bold, confident strokes outlining her form, like the continuous curve from shoulder to arm. Then notice the softer, almost hesitant, marks that fill in the shadows and contours of her body. It’s like he’s feeling his way through the subject, allowing the charcoal to lead him. I love the way the lines have a life of their own, overlapping and intersecting, creating a sense of depth and movement. It’s a beautiful example of how drawing can be both descriptive and expressive. Diebenkorn reminds me a bit of Matisse in his use of line to evoke form. Both have a similar approach to the power of simplicity and suggestion over detail and description.