Untitled [seated woman with raised knee]
1955-1967
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 43.4 x 29 cm (17 1/16 x 11 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Phyllis Diebenkorn
Accession Number
2000.141.31
Art Historical Context
Richard Diebenkorn's *Untitled [seated woman raised knee]* (1955–1967) captures the artist's pivotal shift toward Bay Area Figurative painting during mid-20th century. After early experiments in Abstract Expressionism, Diebenkorn embraced representational work in the vibrant artistic scene of California, influenced by peers like David Park and Elmer Bischoff. This drawing reflects his fascination with the female form, rendered with fluid contours that evoke both sensuality and spatial ambiguity, hallmarks of his mature style. Executed in graphite on wove paper—a modest yet versatile medium— t...
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...