Untitled [seated nude with her arms behind her head] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled ink drawing of a seated nude with simple materials, but the effect is far from simple. Look how the brushstrokes vary – now bold and decisive, now thin and tentative, building up a sense of weight and form. I can almost feel Diebenkorn’s hand moving across the paper, searching for the right line, the right curve. Did he pause, reflect, then strike with confidence? I wonder what he was thinking about at that moment, what was going through his mind as he made this drawing. There’s a quiet vulnerability to the figure, a sense of introspection that resonates with the artist's broader exploration of form and space. It reminds me of Matisse’s line drawings – that same effortless grace. Artists like Diebenkorn build on what has come before, adding their unique voice to the conversation. It’s all one big, beautiful, ongoing exchange.