Untitled [seated woman with crossed arms] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a seated woman with ink on paper. It's all about the line, isn’t it? How a simple, confident stroke can describe a whole world of form and feeling. Look at the way Diebenkorn uses line to define the woman’s posture, the casual crossing of her arms. There’s a certain weight to it, a quiet presence. The ink is dense and opaque, a stark contrast to the blank paper around it. Notice how the lines vary in thickness, some bold and assertive, others delicate and hesitant. It’s like he’s feeling his way around the subject, searching for the essential gesture. See how he suggests the fingers in the lower hand with just a few quick flicks of the pen, it’s so economical, so sure. Diebenkorn’s work always reminds me of Matisse, that same love of simple forms and elegant lines. But there’s a uniquely American sensibility here too, a kind of understated cool. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, a back and forth between artists across time and space.