Untitled [seated woman with hands in lap] [verso] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled sketch of a seated woman with graphite on paper. Diebenkorn’s work often explores the tension between abstraction and figuration; the artist's work moves between the spontaneity of Abstract Expressionism and the representational clarity of figuration. The woman in this drawing is captured in a moment of repose, her hands gently resting in her lap. Her posture conveys a sense of introspection. The choice to depict a woman in a state of quiet contemplation invites us to consider the historical and cultural contexts that frame female representation in art. I wonder about the model. Is she anonymous, or someone the artist knew? What does it mean to sketch an intimate moment? Diebenkorn gives us space to consider the emotional and psychological depth of his subject, offering a nuanced perspective on identity.