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Exhibition Introduction

Note to the Reader
Acknowledgments

Introduction
Keith
John
Leslie
Self-Portrait

Introduction
Touched Red
Green
Combination
High Green Version 1

Introduction
17 Drawings by Thoreau
Seven Day Diary (Not Knowing)
Changes and Disappearances
Where R=Ryoanji
Fire
The Missing Stone
75 Stones
Eninka
Stones
Where There is Where There

Introduction
Anne Appleby
Pia Fries
Darren Almond
Susan Middleton
Joel Fisher
Brad Brown
Tom Marioni

Introduction
Mamma Andersson
Sol LeWitt
Fred Wilson
Robert Bechtle
Kiki Smith

Introduction
Julie Mehretu
Wayne Thiebaud
Jockum Nordström
Tomma Abts
Nathan Oliveira
Chris Ofili

Introduction
Pat Steir
Laura Owens
Wayne Thiebaud
Amy Sillman

Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Green (working proof 1)
1986
drypoint in black with wash and pasted-down elements
plate: 43 7⁄8 × 35 3⁄4 (111.4 × 90.8)
sheet: 50 3⁄4 × 40 (128.9 × 101.6)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Green (working proof 2)
1986
spitbite aquatint in blue and drypoint in red
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 3⁄8 (113.7 × 89.9)
sheet: 51 1⁄8 × 40 1⁄4 (129.9 × 102.2)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Green (working proof 7)
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint with pasted-down elements
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 1⁄4 (113.7 × 89.5)
sheet: 51 3⁄4 × 40 1⁄2 (131.4 × 102.9)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Green
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint
plate: 45 × 35 1⁄4 (114.3 × 89.5)
sheet: 53 1⁄2 × 40 3⁄4 (135.9 × 103.5)
National Gallery of Art, Washington, Eugene L. and
Marie-Louise Garbáty Fund and Patrons’ Permanent
Fund, 1996
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, upper left, Green (working proof 1)
1986
drypoint in black with wash and pasted-down elements
plate: 43 7⁄8 × 35 3⁄4 (111.4 × 90.8)
sheet: 50 3⁄4 × 40 (128.9 × 101.6)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, upper left, Green (working proof 2)
1986
spitbite aquatint in blue and drypoint in red
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 3⁄8 (113.7 × 89.9)
sheet: 51 1⁄8 × 40 1⁄4 (129.9 × 102.2)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, upper left, Green (working proof 7)
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint with pasted-down elements
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 1⁄4 (113.7 × 89.5)
sheet: 51 3⁄4 × 40 1⁄2 (131.4 × 102.9)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, upper left, Green
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint
plate: 45 × 35 1⁄4 (114.3 × 89.5)
sheet: 53 1⁄2 × 40 3⁄4 (135.9 × 103.5)
National Gallery of Art, Washington, Eugene L. and
Marie-Louise Garbáty Fund and Patrons’ Permanent
Fund, 1996
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, lower left, Green (working proof 1)
1986
drypoint in black with wash and pasted-down elements
plate: 43 7⁄8 × 35 3⁄4 (111.4 × 90.8)
sheet: 50 3⁄4 × 40 (128.9 × 101.6)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, lower left, Green (working proof 2)
1986
spitbite aquatint in blue and drypoint in red
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 3⁄8 (113.7 × 89.9)
sheet: 51 1⁄8 × 40 1⁄4 (129.9 × 102.2)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, lower left, Green (working proof 7)
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint with pasted-down elements
plate: 44 3⁄4 × 35 1⁄4 (113.7 × 89.5)
sheet: 51 3⁄4 × 40 1⁄2 (131.4 × 102.9)
Kathan Brown
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn, Green, 1986

Detail, lower left, Green
1986
color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and
drypoint
plate: 45 × 35 1⁄4 (114.3 × 89.5)
sheet: 53 1⁄2 × 40 3⁄4 (135.9 × 103.5)
National Gallery of Art, Washington, Eugene L. and
Marie-Louise Garbáty Fund and Patrons’ Permanent
Fund, 1996
© The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn

Habitually inclined to rework his compositions, Diebenkorn spoke of wanting to “steal [a] second chance.” A mark resembling an infinity sign in the upper left region of the first working proof is camouflaged in working proof 7 (see banner, above). And a curve in the lower left passage of the first proof gradually morphs into what looks like the upturned tail of a cat (see slideshow, above). In the final print, that tail is absorbed into a volcano-shaped form.

Banner image: Detail, Richard Diebenkorn, Green (working proof 7), 1986, color spitbite aquatint, soapground aquatint, and drypoint with pasted-down elements, Kathan Brown, © The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn

Next: Richard Diebenkorn, Combination, 1981

"Yes, No, Maybe: The Art of Making
Decisions," lecture by exhibition curators Judith Brodie and Adam Greenhalgh (audio)

Julie Mehretu, artist, in conversation with curator Judith Brodie, Diamonstein-Spielvogel lecture (audio)

"An Insider's Perspective," lecture by Kathan Brown, founder of Crown Point Press (audio)

Exhibition tour by curators Judith Brodie and Adam Greenhalgh (audio)

Richard Diebenkorn in the collection of the National Gallery of Art

Crown Point Press prints in the collection of the National Gallery of Art

Press release