Untitled [female nude sitting cross-legged] 1955 - 1967

This drawing of a female nude, of unknown date, was made by Richard Diebenkorn using graphite on paper. It’s a simple combination, but even in these understated materials, there's a rich story to unpack. The graphite lines are spare, almost hesitant, and they delicately trace the contours of the figure. Diebenkorn coaxes a sense of volume and weight out of the marks, using only the inherent qualities of the graphite. We can imagine the artist holding the pencil, feeling the resistance of the paper, and carefully building up the image through a series of light touches. The nature of drawing encourages immediacy, and that is present here. But it also invites a consideration of labor: this image is the result of many small decisions, a meditation enacted through hand and eye. By considering the relationship between process and appearance, we can appreciate the nuances of this work, moving beyond conventional hierarchies that might separate drawing from so-called ‘high art.’