Untitled [woman seated on a cot] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this work, "Untitled [woman seated on a cot]", using ink on paper. Look at the way he’s drawn this figure; it feels so immediate, as if we’re looking at a fleeting moment, captured with just a few lines. I really get a sense of the artist exploring, thinking through the act of drawing. The lines aren’t precious. I can imagine Diebenkorn trying to work out the weight and posture of the sitter through a series of quick, intuitive marks. This isn't about perfection, but about the feeling of the thing. It reminds me of Matisse. The cot she's sitting on almost disappears into the background. It's like he’s saying, “I’m not interested in the details, just the essence.” It’s a kind of shorthand, a way of seeing that’s both economical and deeply expressive. It's like the artist is leaving space for our imagination to fill in the gaps. That’s what makes it so engaging.