Untitled [seated female nude with head bowed] 1955 - 1967

This is an untitled sketch of a seated nude by Richard Diebenkorn. The strokes are tentative, almost like he's feeling out the form. And the hatching! It's like a little storm of marks defining the figure, giving her weight and presence. Looking closer, notice how the lines build up to describe her form, but never quite resolve into perfect clarity. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the physical act of drawing. See where the lines get darker, pressing harder? It’s like he's wrestling with the image, trying to pin it down, but also letting it breathe. This little red stamp in the corner is a great contrast to the rest of the drawing. It reminds me of the early Matisse drawings, that same search for simplicity and form. I think Diebenkorn really speaks to the idea that art is more about the process, the journey, than about arriving at some finished destination.