Untitled [seated nude with right leg raised] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing, [seated nude with right leg raised], with graphite on paper. I can just imagine him, quickly sketching the model in front of him. It’s so human, the way Diebenkorn has captured the model. You can see the faint lines where he’s adjusted the drawing, maybe trying to get the pose just right. It’s like he’s thinking aloud with his pencil. The marks feel so casual, so effortless, yet they manage to convey so much about weight, form, and even mood. The interesting thing about drawing, and painting in general, is how it’s like one artist is in dialogue with all those who came before. Like, I can totally see a bit of Matisse in those fluid lines, that same love for capturing the simple elegance of the human form. And then there's Diebenkorn, adding his own voice, his own particular way of seeing, to the conversation.