Untitled [seated female nude in thought] 1955 - 1967

Curator: Hmm, a sketch, seemingly dashed off in a moment… but with such lasting power. Editor: It does have a haunting quality. A pen and ink drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, aptly titled "Untitled [seated female nude in thought]," dating sometime between 1955 and 1967. What strikes me immediately is the raw vulnerability of the figure. Curator: Vulnerable, yes, but also strangely self-possessed, wouldn't you say? There's a directness in the gaze, even though it's averted, shadowed by a mop of hastily rendered hair. And the economy of line! He captures so much with so little, which I always admired. I can see the artist moving in front of her as she adjusts her position, feeling as if her mood might alter. Editor: Absolutely. That combination, the seeming fragility conveyed through these sparse, assertive lines, speaks volumes. The posture suggests introspection, perhaps even a critique of the conventional male gaze in representations of the female nude. Curator: You think so? I've always seen Diebenkorn's nudes as almost studies in form—volumes and voids interacting on the page, less about a social statement and more about purely artistic exploration. A push and pull of ink across paper. Editor: I can appreciate that formalist reading. However, even the most "purely artistic" choices are inevitably shaped by their cultural context. The sitter's position, that suggestion of quiet defiance, it resonates with broader dialogues around female agency. The title hints to the story she’s playing over in her head. Curator: Interesting. I do agree the title gives a vital and needed frame. All that negative space, it leaves so much room for interpretation, for our own projections. I’m always a bit reticent to box things in too tightly. Editor: It is a delicate balance, for sure. To honor the artwork's complexities while also acknowledging the social fabric it inhabits. Looking closer I find Diebenkorn is making bold artistic choices while still alluding to conventional nudes. The bold cross hatching could give a sense of how difficult his creative exercise was for him! Curator: Precisely! It’s like catching a glimpse of something private, not in a voyeuristic way, but with a shared sense of human…what’s the word, existence. I could look at his figures forever and feel refreshed. Editor: Thank you. Yes, that shared humanity—ultimately, perhaps, that is the work’s most enduring power, as Diebenkorn shows how hard that work on identity is.