Untitled [female model in a cap seated on a stool] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled drawing of a female model in a cap, seated on a stool, with pencil on paper. What strikes me is the layering of lines, like he's circling the figure, trying to find the right form. It's that sense of searching, of process, that really grabs me. Look at the legs – the way he's sketched them overlapping, a kind of map-making of the body. The lines aren't precious; they're exploratory, like he's thinking through the act of drawing itself. It reminds me of Matisse, that elegant simplicity, but with a bit more grit, more questioning. Diebenkorn’s lines are not just describing the model; they're building a space, a feeling. This reminds us that art isn't about perfect representation but about the journey, the artist's hand finding its way. It's like a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the subject, leaving room for us to jump in and find our own meaning.