Untitled [striding female nude: side view] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this nude figure study on paper, probably with brush and ink. The sweeping, confident marks speak to his understanding of artmaking as a conversation between seeing and doing. Look at the way the ink sits on the page, almost like it was applied wet on wet, blurring the edges and creating a sense of movement. You can practically feel the artist's hand moving across the page, capturing the essence of the figure in motion. The ink is thin in places, almost transparent, while in others, it's thick and opaque, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. The brushstrokes build the form with such immediacy, echoing Matisse, who also had a gift for distilling form to its most essential elements. This piece is like a jazz riff on the human form – all about rhythm, improvisation, and the joy of making. The way Diebenkorn handles the ink reminds us that art is an ongoing exploration.