Untitled [seated nude rubbing her eye] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn sketched this untitled drawing of a seated nude, rubbing her eye, using graphite on paper. It reflects Diebenkorn’s engagement with the figure and a pared down aesthetic. Diebenkorn’s work exists in a period where American society was undergoing significant shifts in understanding gender roles and representations. While the male gaze often dominated depictions of women, here, there is a quiet intimacy. The nude subject seems lost in thought, introspective. Is she contemplating her role in the world, or simply tired? The artist’s swift strokes suggest a moment captured in time. The vulnerability of the pose invites us to consider our own relationships with our bodies, and how women are seen and see themselves. It is a work that balances the personal with the broader social narratives of identity and representation.