Untitled [seated female nude with hands behind head] by Richard Diebenkorn

Untitled [seated female nude with hands behind head] 1955 - 1967

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Artwork details

Medium
drawing, pencil
Dimensions
overall: 40.6 x 27.6 cm (16 x 10 7/8 in.)
Copyright
National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0

Tags

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drawing

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figuration

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bay-area-figurative-movement

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pencil drawing

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pencil

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nude

About this artwork

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated nude with charcoal on paper. I love how the minimal use of line lets the figure emerge as if from a mist. It’s like he’s coaxing the form into being, not dictating it. The texture of the charcoal, a bit crumbly, adds a tactile quality. See how the lines vary in weight and pressure? A heavier, darker line might define the curve of a thigh, while a fainter, sketchier one suggests the contour of an arm. The way the figure fills the space, casually confident, reminds me a little of Matisse. But Diebenkorn's mark-making feels more searching, less certain, more like he’s figuring it out as he goes along. It feels like a real, lived experience, not just a formal exercise. Art's always a conversation, right?

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