Magnet Pierre Soulages - Gouache on paper mounted on canvas, 1952

Pierre Soulages, born on 24 December 1919 in Rodez and died on 25 October 2022 in Nîmes, was one of the most famous French artists of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Nicknamed the 'painter of black,' he devoted his life to exploring the infinite variations of this colour, which he considered to be a bearer of light. From an early age, Soulages developed a passion for prehistoric art and simple, powerful forms.
In 1979, he invented the concept of 'outrenoir' - literally 'beyond black'. For him, black is not an absence of colour, but a living surface, capable of reflecting light and creating a dialogue between the work and the viewer.
A profoundly modern and timeless artist, Pierre Soulages has made black a universal language, capable of expressing strength, silence and light.