Untitled [woman in a dress seated with her hands in her lap] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is an ink drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, titled "Untitled [woman in a dress seated with her hands in her lap]," made sometime between 1955 and 1967. It feels very raw and immediate, capturing a moment in time, almost like a glimpse. What do you see in this piece, and how might we understand its significance? Curator: I see an echo of familiar forms, like the classic Madonna pose, where the subject's downward gaze and hands in her lap suggest contemplation. It taps into centuries of imagery representing inner thought. Yet, the looseness of the drawing disrupts that stillness, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely! There's a sense of searching in the lines. The contour isn’t fixed but is constantly being adjusted. Curator: Precisely! And what does that evoke for you? Think about how the lack of definitive lines influences your understanding of the subject's psychological state. Is she confident or uncertain? The symbolism here hinges on absence as much as presence. The incompleteness might mirror the subject's own self-perception, the way we all constantly re-evaluate ourselves. Editor: That's a fascinating point. So the drawing itself, with its visible searching and corrections, becomes a metaphor for the human condition? Curator: Yes, the woman is almost secondary. The visual vocabulary -- the marks on the paper -- carries so much weight and contributes to an open-ended narrative about identity. We are all, always, in process. Editor: This has given me a lot to think about; I see much more than just a quick sketch now. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! Seeing these familiar echoes with fresh eyes helps keep the conversation going.