Untitled [model in skirt seated with her legs crossed] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated figure with charcoal on paper. Look at how these quick, confident marks define the shape of the figure, and how minimal the whole thing is. I wonder what the model was thinking. I imagine Diebenkorn rapidly circling the figure, trying to find her essence. When I look at the drawing I think about other artists, like Matisse, who were interested in a similar subject matter of figures in interiors. It's as if there is a conversation happening across time, with artists looking at each other's work and saying: “Hey, I’m also trying to figure this stuff out!” I love how drawing can capture the raw energy and immediacy of thought; it becomes a record of the artist's process. Diebenkorn’s drawing is so open, inviting us to see the world through his eyes, not fixed or definitive but alive with possibility.