Artist
Pierre Soulages (French, 1919–2022)French, 1919–2022
CultureFrench
Titles
- 22 August '61
Date1961
PlaceParis, France
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions79 1/2 × 100 3/4 in. (201.9 × 255.9 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number61.45
Non exposé
Explore Further
Department
Modern and Contemporary ArtObject Type
Taking inspiration from the bold volumes of Romanesque architecture, Pierre Soulages built up his densely worked paintings in terms of structure and mass. As August 22, ’61 demonstrates, he often suffused his work with the complementary forces of gravity and buoyancy, while playing reflected light against his monochromatic dark palette. James Johnson Sweeney, former director of this museum, observed: “He starts from a single brush stroke—which invites another—this calls up another and another and another until out of their interplay form in born.”
ProvenanceThe artist; [Samuel M. Kootz Gallery, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 1961.
Exhibition History"Some Recent Accessions," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 7–April 8, 1962.
"Art Since 1950, International," World's Fair, Seattle, April 21–October 21, 1962.
"Contemporary American and European Painting and Sculpture," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, June 5–September 26, 1965.
"Pierre Soulages: Retrospective Exhibition," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 19–May 22, 1966.
"Soulages Retrospective," Museé National d'Art Moderne, Paris, March 22–May 21, 1967.
"Pierre Soulages: Selected Paintings," Gimpel Weitzenhoffer Ltd., New York, February 12–March 12, 1977.
"Direction and Diversity: Twentieth Century Art in the Museum Collection,” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, May 21–September 3, 1988.
"500 Years of French Art," The San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, April 7–August 20, 1995.
"Art at Midcentury: Spotlight on the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 13–September 3, 2001.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Signed at lower right, recto: "Soulages"
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.
Khalif Tahir Thompson
2022
Oil on canvas, handmade paper, papyrus, velvet, raw silk fabric, newsprint, acrylic, leather mixed media
2023.228