Untitled [man with a white collar] [recto] 1955 - 1967

This portrait of a man with a white collar was made by Richard Diebenkorn using ink wash on paper. The artist has built up the image using broad brushstrokes of diluted ink. The ink bleeds into the paper, softening the man's features and blurring the background. The white of the paper itself becomes an active element, defining the collar and catching the light on the man's face. The choice of materials and process speaks to the immediacy and directness of the work. Rather than laboriously rendering every detail, Diebenkorn has captured the essence of his subject with a few deft strokes. This approach is reflective of its time, a period in which traditional ideas about portraiture were being questioned. The loose, expressive handling of the ink challenges the notion of a portrait as a straightforward representation of an individual, instead offering a more subjective interpretation. Ultimately, the power of this work lies in the way that Diebenkorn has harnessed the inherent qualities of his materials to create a portrait that is both intimate and enigmatic. It reminds us that art is not just about what is depicted, but how it is made.