Untitled [female nude with legs apart] 1955 - 1967

This drawing, made by Richard Diebenkorn, features a female nude rendered with graphite on paper. The composition is defined by a network of lines that delicately suggest form and space. The figure is positioned with legs apart, creating a study in asymmetry. Diebenkorn's use of line is particularly striking here; it is not about perfect representation but rather about capturing the essence of form. The lines are tentative, almost searching, as if the artist is exploring the subject's contours. This approach aligns with the broader modernist project of deconstructing traditional modes of representation. It evokes the semiotic idea that signs are arbitrary and derive their meaning from a structural system. Consider how the negative space around the figure is just as crucial as the lines themselves. Diebenkorn invites us to consider how meaning is not fixed but emerges through the dynamic interplay of figure and ground. This piece, in its simplicity, challenges us to see beyond the surface.