Untitled [woman reclining in undergarments] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a reclining woman, likely using ink on paper. Imagine Diebenkorn’s hand moving swiftly across the page, capturing the essence of the figure with bold, fluid lines. I can almost feel the artist's focused energy, trying to capture the pose and the light hitting her body. There's a vulnerability in the sketchy quality of the lines, as if the artist is feeling out the form, discovering it as he goes. I think of Matisse and his drawings. I love how the simple marks suggest so much—the curve of a breast, the bend of a knee. It’s all about suggestion, leaving space for our imagination to fill in the gaps. It is so immediate and direct and yet so full of possibility.