Pierre Soulages (French, 1919-2022) Eau-forte XVIII
| Lot #: 93 Pierre Soulages (French, 1919-2022) Eau-forte XVIII |
|
Circa 1962. Etching and aquatint. Signed 'Soulages' and numbered '12/100' in pencil. |
| 25 x 19 in. |
|
Condition Excellent condition. Properly mounted. |
|
Auction Date Nov 20, 2025 |
| Estimate: $8,000-$12,000 |
Details:
Pierre Soulages (French, 1919-2022)
Pierre Soulages was a celebrated French painter and printmaker whose pioneering exploration of black, which he termed “outrenoir” (“beyond black”), became his defining artistic language from the late 1940s onward. Born in Rodez, France, he drew lasting inspiration from the prehistoric, Romanesque, and Celtic art of his region, later expanding his influences through exposure to East Asian calligraphy. A leading figure in Art Informel and European Abstract Expressionism alongside Jean Fautrier and Hans Hartung, his bold, gestural black forms – applied with brushes, spatulas, and rollers – resonated internationally with the energy of Abstract Expressionism in the United States.
Over the course of his long career, Soulages exhibited widely, from early showings at documenta in Kassel to becoming the first contemporary artist featured at the Hermitage Museum in 2001, and he received major honors including Japan’s Praemium Imperiale. His legacy is cemented through the Musee Soulages, opened in his hometown in 2014, and a rare lifetime exhibition at the Louvre celebrating his 100th birthday, underscoring his status as one of the most influential abstract artists of the modern era.
Pierre Soulages was a celebrated French painter and printmaker whose pioneering exploration of black, which he termed “outrenoir” (“beyond black”), became his defining artistic language from the late 1940s onward. Born in Rodez, France, he drew lasting inspiration from the prehistoric, Romanesque, and Celtic art of his region, later expanding his influences through exposure to East Asian calligraphy. A leading figure in Art Informel and European Abstract Expressionism alongside Jean Fautrier and Hans Hartung, his bold, gestural black forms – applied with brushes, spatulas, and rollers – resonated internationally with the energy of Abstract Expressionism in the United States.
Over the course of his long career, Soulages exhibited widely, from early showings at documenta in Kassel to becoming the first contemporary artist featured at the Hermitage Museum in 2001, and he received major honors including Japan’s Praemium Imperiale. His legacy is cemented through the Musee Soulages, opened in his hometown in 2014, and a rare lifetime exhibition at the Louvre celebrating his 100th birthday, underscoring his status as one of the most influential abstract artists of the modern era.
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