Richard Diebenkorn : a retrospective

An artist of extraordinary stature, Richard Diebenkorn (1922–1993) absorbed and transformed a wide range of influences – from Henri Matisse and Piet Mondrian to Edward Hopper and the New York School – to develop a visual language that was uniquely his own and instantly recognisable.

Featuring over 350 works, this monograph traces five decades of evolution in Diebenkorn’s artistic practice, from the atmospheric abstractions of his early years to the radiant ‘Berkeley’ and ‘Ocean Park’ series, which capture the light, colour and vast coastal horizons of California. The portrait that emerges is that of an artist moving with confidence between abstraction and figuration, producing paintings, prints and drawings that are at once rigorous, exploratory and deeply human.

Essays and reflections by art historians, fellow artists, close friends and family members complement a rich selection of images. These texts punctuate and enrich the chronology of the artist’s life and development, offering both scholarly and deeply personal perspectives on Diebenkorn’s creative process and body of work.