Untitled [female nude in prone position: buttocks and legs] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this untitled drawing of a female nude with graphite on paper. It’s all about gesture, a few quick strokes bringing the figure to life. I love how he simplifies the body into a series of curves and angles, each line so economical, yet so full of information. The texture created by the graphite is really interesting. Look at the way he uses hatching to create a sense of volume and shadow, especially around the buttocks and legs. You can almost feel the softness of the flesh, the way the light catches the curves. See how the marks aren't blended or smoothed, but left raw and visible? I think that's what makes it so immediate and engaging. It's like you're seeing the artist's thought process right there on the page. This reminds me a little of Matisse’s line drawings, the way he could capture so much with so little. And like Matisse, Diebenkorn shows us that art is about seeing, feeling, and responding to the world around us. It's not about perfection, but about capturing a moment, an impression, a feeling.