Pierre Soulages French (b.1919) Eau forte VIII, 1957 etching and aquatint in color on BFK Rives paper pencil signed and numbered 88/100. Please view photos at the end of the image to show pencil markings on the verso and condition of the piece out of the frame. There are two tears at top edge: 1/2" tear upper right, 3/8" tear upper center. Possible light toning. Bends, short creases, and handling marks throughout. Some rolled edges which may or may not be in the nature of the wove paper. Light brown marks or stains in the upper corners and left center near edge of paper. There is a 1" x 3/4" bump in the paper at left edge in lower quadrant. From AskArt: A painter, printmaker and sculptor, Pierre Soulages was born at Rodez, Aveyron in France. Influenced by the Celtic carvings in the local museum and by the Romanesque art and architecture of that region, he began to take an interest in art and began to paint. He went to Paris in 1938, where he saw the exhibitions of Picasso and Cézanne, and briefly studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Soulages' early paintings were often of leaf-less trees in winter, with the black branches contrasting against the background sky. After returning back to his hometown after his brief stay in Paris, he met Sonia Delaunay, with whom he discovered abstract art. In 1946, he moved back to Paris and began to make his first non-figurative works in 1947. At this time he came in contact with other artists such as Picabia and Léger, and took part in the Salon des Superindépendants. His paintings were characterized by heavy, broad black gestures on a light ground. Often, he would let the tools dictate the aesthetic effect of his paintings, using a wide rubber spatula or roller brushes instead of the traditional paintbrush. In 1949, at the Galerie Lydia Conti, Paris, Soulages had his first solo exhibition. In 1952, he made his first etchings. After 1955, he began to paint with even looser, slashing brushstrokes, sometimes with more fluid washes of color. Soulages also worked in other media, designing sets and costumes. In 1987 he designed the monumental tapestry for the French Finance Ministry. Soulages is considered the greatest French painter of his generation and has received recognition worldwide. 31 1/2"H x 22 3/4"W (frame)