Untitled [female nude on the studio floor] 1955 - 1967

This is an undated drawing of a female nude on the studio floor by Richard Diebenkorn, made with what looks like graphite on paper. You can see the marks of the artist’s hand, the tentative lines feeling their way around the figure. I’m imagining Diebenkorn in his studio, circling the model, trying to capture the essence of her form with just a few strokes. You know, the way he simplifies the planes of the body, flattens the space, it reminds me of Matisse. There’s a real tenderness in the way he renders the curve of her breast or the line of her hip. The heavy shading and the way the lines fade in and out create a sense of depth and volume, even in this relatively simple sketch. You get a sense of intimacy, of the artist really seeing his subject. It is almost as if Diebenkorn is whispering to us about what he sees and feels. It’s like a quiet conversation between artist, model, and viewer, a testament to the power of observation and the beauty of the human form.