Soulages, Pierre

Pierre Soulages was born in Rodez (Aveyron) on 24 December 1919 and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier. He settled in Paris after World War II and devoted himself to painting full-time. He was quickly noticed by his quite unique style. Soulages painted almost exclusively in black and in dark brown. He was introduced to printmaking in the early 1950s. The technique of etching that produces strong bites in his copper plates became one of the characteristics of his printmaking work. Soulages created 43 etchings during his long career. These etchings have become over time the pursuit of informed collectors.

The artist had over the years numerous exhibitions in France and abroad. The Centre Pompidou in Paris devoted a major retrospective of his work from October 14, 2009 to March 8, 2010.

Painter of the “Black” and of the “light,” Soulages is recognized worldwide as one of the major figures of the abstraction.