Untitled [seated nude resting her head on her right hand] [recto] 1955 - 1967

This is a drawing in ink wash on paper by Richard Diebenkorn and it shows a seated nude figure. Isn’t it interesting how, with just a few strokes and washes, Diebenkorn manages to convey so much? It’s all about the process, that dance between intention and accident, isn't it? Here, the ink pools and bleeds, creating these soft, blurry edges that give the figure a sense of weight and volume. Look at the way the ink pools around the contours of the body, like a shadow clinging to the form. There’s a real physicality to it, like you could almost reach out and touch the dampness of the ink. The hand supporting the head is particularly evocative. See how it’s rendered with just a few lines, yet it perfectly captures the weight and weariness of the pose. Diebenkorn's figurative works connect to artists like Matisse, who similarly explored line and form in their drawings. These works invite us to embrace ambiguity, finding our own stories within their fluid lines and blurred edges.