Untitled [female nude leaning back in chair and facing right [verso] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a female nude leaning back in a chair, but we don’t know when. I just love the suggestive simplicity of the image. It seems like the kind of sketch an artist makes when they’re trying to work something out—maybe he was thinking about a painting he wanted to make. He’s used a very limited tonal range, giving the impression of shadow and light through subtle variation. The line is delicate but sure, like he knows exactly where it needs to go! It reminds me of Matisse, who also used a minimal line to describe the figure. It's like Diebenkorn is asking: how little can I do and still get the idea across? It's a beautiful drawing. It’s a generous act for an artist to show us their working process. You know, it makes me want to go make a drawing right now.