Untitled [seated female nude leaning right] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated nude, leaning right, sometime in the 20th century. It's all lines, really – just charcoal on paper, quick and dirty. You can almost feel the energy of his hand moving across the page, deciding where to go next. The lines are loose, but they capture something essential about the figure. I love how he uses just a few marks to suggest the weight and volume of her body, her belly. The shading around the legs is particularly lovely. It reminds me of Matisse, but with a California twist. What is particularly amazing is the face. You know, the way she's kind of hiding her face in her hand? Like she's tired or maybe just doesn't want to be looked at. You can feel her mood, her thoughts, even though you can barely see her expression. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection, it's about feeling.