Untitled [female nude seated on floor with arms on a chair seat] 1955 - 1967

This untitled drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, shows a female nude seated on the floor. It was quickly sketched with expressive lines of charcoal. I can imagine Diebenkorn in his studio, rapidly capturing the essence of the figure, feeling the weight and form with each mark. There’s a sensitivity in the way he renders the contours of her body, the curve of her back, and the placement of her arms. It’s so intimate. The brown paper is stained, maybe from coffee or some other studio accident. I bet it happened while he was totally focused on the drawing, and it's now part of it! The figure’s pose is casual yet carefully observed, conveying a sense of vulnerability and introspection. You can feel the weight of her arms resting on the chair. It reminds me of Matisse's drawings, but with a California cool vibe. Artists, you know, they're always looking, borrowing, riffing off each other, it's one big conversation across time. And in the end, it's all about feeling, isn't it?