Painting

1946

Moves to Paris and devotes himself to abstraction

Arrives in Paris, where he devotes himself to non-figurative painting and experiments with materials, including walnut oil. Opens a studio in Courbevoie and paints in complete abstraction, with black as the dominant colour.

1947

First exhibition at the Salon des Indépendants

Fame comes to him after his first exhibition at the Salon des Indépendants. His work impresses such established artists as Francis Picabia and Fernand Léger.

1949

Exhibition at the Betty Parsons Gallery in New York

The Betty Parsons Gallery shows his work in New York.

1950

Leo Castelli organizes his exhibition at Sidney Janis

Leo Castelli organizes an exhibition of Soulages's work at the Sidney Janis gallery in New York.

1950s

Develops his own manner: black paint, trowel and knife

In the 1950s he begins to work with black paint applied to the canvas with a plasterer's trowel, scratching the drawing into it with a knife or brush to give the image form and texture. Black usually dominates his paintings, with one or more less prominent colours sometimes present.

1951

Exhibition: São Paulo Art Biennial