Knife + Tomato I 1962

Richard Diebenkorn painted "Knife + Tomato I" with oil on board, and the way he’s handled the paint, it feels like he was really there, in the moment. The surface has so much texture, you can imagine him shifting things around, trying out different angles, maybe even wiping away and starting again. I mean, look at those reds, they are so vibrant and earthy all at once. The blues along the bottom edge are quietly holding the whole thing together. I wonder if Diebenkorn was thinking about Morandi when he made this? Both are interested in these simple, everyday objects. It's like he's showing us that painting isn’t just about copying what you see; it’s about feeling your way through the world, trying to make sense of it all, one brushstroke at a time. Ultimately, painting is a conversation, a way of talking to other artists across time. And it's definitely delicious.