Untitled [seated female nude holding right knee] 1955 - 1967

Here's a drawing by Richard Diebenkorn of a seated nude made with what looks like diluted ink or watercolor. The magic is in how Diebenkorn fearlessly lets the brush wander, finding the figure through a process of searching. Look at the way he uses these watery lines, almost like ghosts of contours, to suggest the weight and form of the body. It's not about precision; it's about feeling the space around the figure. The lines are so fluid they could almost be breathing. The washes pool in places to create a sense of depth. This reminds me of Matisse, especially his line drawings, but Diebenkorn brings a distinctly American sensibility. It's like he’s saying, "Here's a body, but it's also just a collection of marks on paper, each one a record of a decision.” It’s this embrace of imperfection that makes Diebenkorn's work so compelling.