Untitled [standing female nude with left hand on hip] [recto] 1955 - 1967

Richard Diebenkorn made this drawing of a standing female nude, with her left hand jauntily on her hip, using a dark pencil or crayon on a large sheet of paper. Imagine Diebenkorn, maybe in his studio, quickly capturing the essence of the figure before him; I can imagine that kind of intense looking. The drawing is so economical, just a few lines describe the body. Look at the way the single curved stroke defines her breast, or the long sweeping line that indicates the contour of her leg. It is clear that he is interested in the body, but also in the act of seeing itself. These dark marks almost feel like he is building a sculpture out of line. This drawing speaks to Diebenkorn’s broader interest in both figuration and abstraction. He really lets the subject hover in a space between observation and pure mark-making. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time, isn't that neat?