Untitled [standing female nude with arms akimbo] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing of a standing female nude with arms akimbo, sometime in the mid-20th century. It's all speedy black lines, almost like he’s tracing the figure’s energy. I imagine Diebenkorn sizing up the model, trying to capture her essence with these quick, confident strokes. He’s not just drawing what he sees but feeling his way around the form, like a sculptor working with wire. Look at the lines around her shoulders and chest – they’re not perfect, they overlap, but that's what makes it so alive. It’s like he’s thinking out loud with the ink, questioning, adjusting, and finding the figure in the process. This drawing reminds me that art is an ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between artists across time. We're all just riffing off each other, finding our own way to express something true and messy. It's not about getting it “right,” but about staying curious and open to the unexpected.