Pierre Soulages (1919-2022) stands as far more than just the undisputed master of lyrical abstraction – he was the true master of black paint and even what he called "outrenoir" (beyond black). As the Luxembourg Museum dedicates a new exhibition to his works on paper, art experts are revealing the hidden secrets of this artist who remained as mysterious as the dark tones that defined his paintings.
What immediately strikes anyone studying Pierre Soulages is his extraordinary longevity as an artist – he maintained an active career spanning 85 years across his 102 years of life. He traversed an entire century and then some through his creative work, making it reductive to limit his legacy to simple labels like "prominent member of the New School of Paris" or "representative of lyrical abstraction."
Soulages represents a timeless and atypical monument of French painting, celebrated during his lifetime with a major retrospective at the Centre Pompidou (2009-2010) and even honored with the opening of a museum bearing his name in Rodez, located in his native Aveyron region, in 2014. While he became primarily associated with the color black, beyond this non-color, light itself was his true subject matter.
One of the most surprising facts about Soulages is that despite being admitted to the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he chose to renounce this opportunity and remain in Rodez instead. This decision proved pivotal in shaping his unique artistic vision and connection to his roots.
The phrase "We had to remember he was mortal to realize he was eternal" perfectly captures the paradox of Soulages' legacy. His death reminded the art world of the immortal impact he had made through decades of groundbreaking work with black paint and light manipulation, establishing him as one of France's most significant contemporary artists.
