Untitled [seated woman reading]
1955-1967
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
black crayon on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 31.5 x 43 cm (12 3/8 x 16 15/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Phyllis Diebenkorn
Accession Number
2000.141.59
Art Historical Context
Richard Diebenkorn's *Untitled [seated woman]*, created between 195 and 1967, captures an intimate domestic moment through the simple yet evocative medium of black crayon onove paper. Measuring just31.5 x 43 cm, this drawing exemplifies Diebenkorn shift during the mid-1950s from abstract expressionism to the Area Figurative movement. Influenced by artists like David Park and Elmer Bischoff, began exploring everyday subjects—here, a seated woman absorbed in reading—with a focus on light, form, and spatial tension. The smooth texture of wove paper allowed Diebenkorn to build rich, gestural line...
About the Artist
Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Clifford Diebenkorn Jr. (1922-1993) was one of the premier American painters of the postwar era, whose deeply lyrical abstractions and figurative works evoked the shimmering light and wide-open spaces of California. Born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in San Francisco, Diebenkorn became a pivotal figure in elevating the status of California art on the international stage. His career encom...