Untitled [female nude reaching down with left hand to grasp her foot] 1955 - 1967

This is a drawing by Richard Diebenkorn of a female nude, done with what looks like charcoal or conte crayon. The marks feel very intuitive, like he’s feeling his way around the form, not really concerned with perfection. I can imagine Diebenkorn in his studio, charcoal in hand, squinting at the model, trying to capture the essence of her pose with quick, searching lines. Look how the charcoal smudges and blends in places, creating soft shadows that give the figure volume. The line is fluid and confident, but also hesitant, as if he's constantly questioning what he sees. It's a very physical drawing, you can feel the artist's hand moving across the paper. And isn’t it interesting how he's using line not just to describe the outline of the figure, but also to suggest the weight and volume of the body? It reminds me of Matisse, how he could say so much with so little, making the viewer really work to fill in the blanks. It’s like they're having a conversation, each informing the other’s practice across time and space. It’s a beautiful dance, really.