Untitled [front view of a female nude seated on a bed] [recto] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this undated drawing of a seated nude, in charcoal or graphite, on paper. It’s all about the process, the line, the trying-out of form. Nothing is fixed, everything’s in motion. The texture of the paper peeks through, giving a sense of immediacy. The lines are confident but not overly defined, suggesting a body in space without trapping it in a rigid form. Notice the way he renders the hand – it’s almost like a bundle of wires, yet it conveys the essence of a hand resting casually. This openness invites us to project our own feelings and experiences onto the image. The way he composes the piece is reminiscent of Matisse in his line drawings. Like Matisse, Diebenkorn embraces ambiguity. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about perfect representation, but about the ongoing conversation between the artist, the subject, and the viewer.