Pierre SoulagesFrench, 1919–2022Painting
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Painting” now? Collection: The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Not on view at present. Checked September 22, 2026.
New York, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- Source
- The museum
Details
- Accession number
- 120.1984
In the catalog
Sources
- The Museum of Modern Art
- Image: The Museum of Modern Art — © the artist or rights holder
In the life of Pierre Soulages
The whole life1946
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
