Untitled [woman reclining in a dress with hand to mouth] 1955 - 1967

This drawing of a reclining woman, made by Richard Diebenkorn, maybe with charcoal or a similar material, captures a figure in thoughtful repose through bold lines and tentative sketches. The drawing presents a study in contrasts: the solid, confident strokes defining the contours of the woman’s body against the delicate, almost hesitant lines that suggest the space around her. There's a real push and pull here. Look at the way the hand is brought up to the mouth, a gesture frozen in time. The thickness and opacity of the lines allow us to appreciate the raw materiality and physicality of the medium itself. You can almost feel the artist working and reworking the lines, searching for the right form and expression. I am reminded of Matisse, especially in the economy of line used to describe the essence of a form. Like Matisse, Diebenkorn embraces ambiguity, inviting us to complete the picture with our imagination. It is the space between the lines where the real magic happens.