Untitled [female nude in profile with left leg raised] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a female nude in profile on paper, and, looking at it, I think about process. I imagine him standing before the model with charcoal in hand, making these searching lines, this web of marks, to capture the essence of the figure, its form, and its weight. You can see the push and pull of the charcoal creating a texture that almost feels sculptural. I’m thinking about Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park series, the way he used line and form to create space, and here, too, the body is like a landscape. There’s a real sense of intimacy in the way he renders the figure, capturing a moment of quiet repose, it reminds me of other artists like Matisse and Picasso, who were also obsessed with the figure. It makes you realize that we artists are all in conversation, sharing ideas, and inspiring each other across time and space.