: Since Pierre's passing, Colette—who turned 105 in March 2025—has continued to serve as the faithful protector of his oeuvre.
: Colette was more than a spouse; she was a constant, attentive presence during the development of Pierre's work. Together, they even designed and built their own light-filled home in Sète, overlooking the Mediterranean. : Since Pierre's passing, Colette—who turned 105 in
The year 2022 marked the end of an extraordinary artistic and personal era with the passing of the French abstract painter Pierre Soulages on October 25, at the age of 102. Known as the "painter of black," Soulages spent decades exploring the depth of a single color through his signature Outrenoir (beyond black) style. Beside him for 80 of those years was his wife and collaborator, Colette Soulages (née Llaurens), whose role as the "guardian" of his work was as vital as the art itself. The Partnership of a Lifetime The year 2022 marked the end of an
: The couple's commitment to art is immortalized in the Musée Soulages in Rodez, to which they donated roughly 900 works. The Partnership of a Lifetime : The couple's
Pierre and Colette's story began in 1941 at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier. They married on October 24, 1942, and remained inseparable until Pierre's death just one day after their 80th wedding anniversary.