Untitled [nude seated on a stool with her right arm over her head] [recto] 1955 - 1967

This work is an undated drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, made with ink on paper. Diebenkorn's choice of materials—ink and paper—speaks to immediacy and the act of capturing a fleeting moment. The stark contrast of black ink on the white paper emphasizes the artist’s mark-making, laying bare his process of observation and interpretation. Notice how the linework varies in thickness, from confident strokes outlining the figure's form to tentative, almost hesitant lines suggesting movement and depth. The drawing embodies labor in a conceptual way. The subject is in repose, yet the visible effort in the rapid execution emphasizes the artist's work in translating three-dimensional form onto a two-dimensional surface. This raises questions about the artist's role in observing and interpreting the world around him. In the end, it’s the marriage of material, technique, and subject matter that conveys this artwork’s full meaning, allowing us to move beyond traditional distinctions between art and craft and appreciate the value of process itself.