Untitled [female nude crouching] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this ink drawing, Untitled [female nude crouching], on paper, and it is such a great example of how to get the most out of the fewest marks. It’s all about the surface here. The paper seems almost absorbent, allowing the ink to bleed and spread, creating a sense of depth and shadow with very little tone. There’s this tension between the fluid, almost uncontrolled nature of the ink and the sharp, decisive lines that define the figure. Look at that spot of ink just below her torso, see how it pools and splatters? It’s like a tiny explosion of darkness, and it really activates the space around it. It's a reminder that art is as much about chance and accident as it is about intention. Diebenkorn, like Matisse, saw drawing as a pathway to understanding form, and this work perfectly captures that exploration. It is a constant back-and-forth.