Untitled [female nude sitting with her right leg up] 1955 - 1967

Curator: Before us is an untitled pencil drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, created sometime between 1955 and 1967, depicting a female nude. What’s your first impression? Editor: My first impression is of vulnerability and strength. There's a rawness to the lines, an honesty. The subject is powerful in her pose, yet exposed and intimate. Curator: The drawing clearly nods towards the academic study of the human figure, but even through a contemporary lens, it resists easy categorization. Consider how female nudes, traditionally rendered from a male gaze, often serve to objectify. Where might we place this particular drawing? Editor: Exactly, Diebenkorn was painting against this traditional male gaze. The female figure isn't just a passive object. The active positioning of her leg, her confident slouch… These strike a modern sensibility where her form communicates a nuanced subjectivity. She almost refuses to be entirely consumed by the viewer. Curator: And within the political and social contexts of the late 50s and 60s, this is key. The shifting societal views around women during that period provide an additional layer to Diebenkorn's imagery. It also relates back to institutions. For example, what exhibitions at the time gave voice to the evolving role of the female subject within the history of art? Editor: Indeed. Thinking about the socio-cultural impact further; it pushes beyond just formal rendering, offering narratives on female independence. And even now, decades later, considering representation politics in art history is pivotal. Curator: His use of the pencil, the smudging and heavy shadow also enhance a level of intimacy to what would traditionally be perceived as very high art. Editor: It certainly feels accessible, despite being a nude. The raw quality actually gives it emotional heft. We feel more attuned to the presence and awareness of the subject. It transcends mere aesthetic exercise to achieve cultural relevance, asking viewers even now what assumptions they carry viewing such a subject. Curator: Indeed. Diebenkorn’s drawing isn’t merely an exercise in depicting the female form, but a meditation on seeing, being seen, and how both intersect in powerful and compelling ways. Editor: A really important reflection on both art and gender dynamics through recent history. Thank you.