Untitled [standing nude turned with her hair hiding her face] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing, Untitled [standing nude turned with her hair hiding her face], using charcoal on paper. The humble materials lend themselves to a quick, expressive style. Notice how the charcoal isn’t just used for lines. In certain areas, like the figure's hair and the shadows along the torso, it’s smudged and blended, creating depth and volume. Diebenkorn's process is evident. You can almost see him circling and probing with the charcoal stick, building up the form through a series of tentative marks. There is an immediacy in the way that Diebenkorn captured the human form. Although it is on paper, with basic materials, this work shares the same spirit as traditional academic studies. By choosing these materials, Diebenkorn creates a feeling of intimacy. It's as if we're looking over the artist's shoulder, witnessing the act of creation. This directness collapses the distance between artist, model, and viewer. It reminds us that artmaking is, at its heart, a deeply human endeavor.