Untitled [seated female nude resting with left leg in chair] 1955 - 1967

Editor: This is a pencil drawing by Richard Diebenkorn, created sometime between 1955 and 1967. It’s called "Untitled [seated female nude resting with left leg in chair]." It feels very raw and immediate to me, like a glimpse into the artist’s sketchbook. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, absolutely, that immediacy is palpable, isn’t it? Diebenkorn is just *thinking* with the pencil here, wouldn't you say? It’s fascinating how he captures the essence of the figure with such simple lines. I almost get the sense that the lines *tremble*, don’t they? The sitter becomes the landscape here. But let's be honest, this is the body through the artist’s experience… it is about feeling as much as about seeing, maybe? What does the space around the figure evoke for you? Editor: Hmmm. The negative space makes it feel lonely, almost isolating. Curator: Exactly! And isn't it brilliant? Notice how that left leg is just… there? He wasn't interested in smooth perfection. It is life! I sometimes feel Diebenkorn is telling me about the beauty and the imperfections existing in harmony together. He teaches me not to be too precious in my own creative efforts! Editor: That's so interesting! I never thought about it that way. Thanks for opening my eyes. Curator: My pleasure. Every viewing shifts with new insights, doesn’t it? Keep looking; keep questioning, my friend.