It was in 1941 that Pierre Soulages met Colette, with whom he would remain married for 80 years, celebrating his oak wedding anniversary in Rodez, in Aveyron. But who is this woman who made his heart beat?
Figure of contemporary art, seen as “the greatest artist in the world during his lifetime” by Francois Hollande during his five-year term, Pierre-Soulages died on October 26 at the age of 102. At his side, unfailing presence and faithful companion, Colette Soulages accompanied him for 80 years of his life.
An all-black wedding
It is at the Beaux-Arts in Montpellier, where he intends to pass the drawing teacher competition, that Pierre-Soulages from the top of his 1.90m met the one who will delight his heart in 1941, when he returns from the front. Their love is almost obvious, she coming from Séte and he from Aveyron. They fell in love almost immediately after visiting the Fabre Museum. A year later, they were all dressed in black and married at the Saint-Louis church in Sète, at midnight. Many points in common unite them and she, who was destined for an artistic career, will put her life on hold to devote herself to her husband’s career.
In this month of October, the spouses who did not have children celebrated their 80 years of marriage, when they were both centenarians. Indeed, Pierre Soulages who has just disappeared was 102 years old and Colette celebrated her 101st birthday this year. During his centenary, in 2019, the artist said of his wife, of whom he liked to tell how he had met him in each of his interviews: “77 years with Colette and I’ve never been bored with her”.
A world tour for two
In 1957, the painter nicknamed “master of the overseas world” will win the Windsor Prize which allows him to obtain a scholarship of 2000 dollars. This is how he went to the United States for the first time, which enabled him to see that he had illustrious admirers, including Charles Laugthon, Alfred Hitchcock and Otto Preminger. Their world tour can then start from New York to San Francisco, from Tokyo to Hong Kong, from New Delhi to Beirut and Rome as our colleagues from Midi Libre point out. Throughout the life of Pierre Soulages, Colette will hold a very important place since she will be his support and his faithful supporter.
Creative and active until his last breath, Pierre-Soulages loved going back to his studio for several hours, putting a big pebble in front of his door to signify “that he shouldn’t be disturbed, even if Colette takes less and less notice of it over time, it’s annoying” he confided in 2018 to the JDD. In 2005, the couple donated an unpublished collection of 250 works and 250 documents to the Grand Rodez urban community, which makes it the largest French donation by a living artist. This will lead to the creation of the Soulages Museum in Rodez in 2014 and constitutes the most complete fund on the first 30 years of the artist’s creations.