Untitled [woman playing the piano] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a woman playing piano with crayon on paper, but when exactly, we don't know. Look at how the marks work together to build this scene. The crayon creates a dense network of lines, a field of visual information that gives shape to form. You can feel Diebenkorn thinking, reworking, and editing as he draws. I can imagine him squinting, leaning in, and trying to get the image *just* right. The lines vibrate with energy. It is like he is having a conversation with the model and piano—he is responding to the moment with an honesty that is moving. The woman is faceless, but her posture is so human. The piano keys are suggested with just a few strokes. There is a window that looms behind. Diebenkorn is also a great abstract painter, so it is interesting to see him take on a more traditional subject. Painters are always in dialogue with one another, influencing each other across time, and this work reminds us of the endless possibilities within painting. It is not just about what we see, but how we feel, question, and express our connection to the world.