Untitled [standing female nude with left foot raised] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an untitled drawing of a standing female nude with her left foot raised, created by Richard Diebenkorn between 1955 and 1967 using pencil. There's a real raw energy in the lines, an almost unfinished quality. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: It's interesting how Diebenkorn uses a relatively simple material – pencil on paper – to explore the complexities of the human form and the act of drawing itself. Notice the density of marks around the torso versus the more skeletal lines defining the legs. What does that signify in terms of his process, do you think? Is it about accuracy of representation, or is it something else? Editor: Perhaps he’s less interested in objective likeness and more concerned with conveying a sense of weight or volume? The heavy shading does create a very solid feeling around her core. Curator: Precisely. This relates to a Materialist reading because the artwork's value stems not just from its aesthetic qualities, but from the physical labor evident in the repeated layering of pencil strokes. Each mark represents a choice, a moment of engagement with the material, which reveals a thought process of creating this piece. The "unfinished quality," as you put it, challenges traditional ideas of artistic skill as being something to be displayed or technical perfection. Editor: So it's less about the end result and more about the journey and the materials used. I hadn't considered the labor involved quite so literally before. Curator: Exactly. And consider the context: mid-century America, where mass production and consumerism were on the rise. This emphasis on the handmade and the visible effort resists that devaluing of craft and individual work, pushing us to reflect on value and the artist's hand. Editor: That adds another layer of understanding to it. I see the drawing completely differently now, recognizing the social commentary within the materials themselves. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure, it’s been a privilege to share that.