Untitled [woman wearing eyeglasses in three-quarter view] [verso] 1955 - 1967

Curator: Richard Diebenkorn's "Untitled [woman wearing eyeglasses in three-quarter view] [verso]" created between 1955 and 1967, gives us an intimate look at a subject through minimal strokes of pencil and ink. It seems to me there is vulnerability here. Editor: The rapid application and expressive strokes create an emotionally charged piece. The strong contrast suggests introspection, but perhaps it is also the use of pencil as opposed to another medium; something in-process rather than fixed. Curator: That contrast certainly guides the viewer’s eye. I read the downward gaze of the figure and her averted posture as representative of broader mid-century cultural anxieties. Her eyes, somewhat obscured, hint at the obscured realities faced by women of the time. Editor: The composition focuses almost entirely on the head, almost unbalancing the piece as a whole. But there is also clarity that is not often achieved using this technique. Take the frames of the eyeglasses for instance, which show strong structural elements as compared to the face. It is almost mechanical, set in contrast to the chaos surrounding it. Curator: Yes, that juxtaposition between the loose sketch lines and those bold dark strokes—and also the framing—definitely evoke a sense of unease but also resilience. The portrait becomes a broader cultural artifact reflecting identity in flux. Editor: The image walks a line of revealing and concealing, forcing the viewer to ask fundamental questions not only of the composition but of portraiture and its historical canon as a whole. Curator: Well said. A powerful reminder of art's capacity to encapsulate history, memory, and cultural shifts. Editor: Indeed. The technical decisions of the artist offer more to consider about both this artwork in particular, and a larger meditation on being.