Untitled [seated female nude resting arm on left knee] [verso] 1955 - 1967

This drawing of a seated nude was made by Richard Diebenkorn, but we don't know exactly when or where. What I love about Diebenkorn's drawings is that he is so playful with the marks he makes. You can see the ghost of the hand in the slightly smudged quality of the charcoal lines. The drawing is so minimal, it could be seen as unfinished, but what I appreciate is the confidence in the line. Look at the right hand, how it almost dissolves into the leg. There is a beautiful simplicity here, a few quick lines that suggest volume and depth but are also incredibly flat. It reminds me of Matisse in its simplicity and directness, but also of Giacometti in its slightly awkward, searching quality. It's like he's trying to capture something essential about the human form, but also admitting that it's impossible to fully grasp. And that's what makes it so compelling.