Untitled [seated figure abstracted] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink on paper drawing, a seated figure, using an economy of means. The stark contrast between the black ink and the white paper creates an immediate, arresting image. Diebenkorn's method—the swift strokes and layered washes—reveal a process of both construction and erasure. We see the materiality of ink; how it pools, bleeds, and saturates the page. The sweeping gestures of the brush are highly visible and expressive. This drawing exemplifies a mid-century American aesthetic, one that values the artist's hand and directness of expression. Diebenkorn engages with traditions of drawing and painting while simultaneously pushing against the boundaries of pure representation. In this piece, we see how an artist can distill the human form to its most essential elements, emphasizing the act of creation itself.