A Tribute to a Master of Abstraction
This autumn, the Musée du Luxembourg celebrates Pierre Soulages, one of the leading figures in contemporary French painting, with an exceptional exhibition titled “Pierre Soulages: Another Light – Paintings on Paper.”
The event unveils a rare collection of works on paper, revealing a more intimate and experimental side of the artist.
Light at the Heart of the Gesture
Renowned for their quiet intensity, Soulages’ works on paper reflect his constant exploration of contrast and texture. Created between the 1940s and the early 2000s, they express remarkable freedom in the painter’s creative act.
Using walnut stain, ink, and gouache, Soulages played with the balance between opacity and transparency, between the depth of black and the purity of white. Though often minimalist, each composition radiates a powerful inner light, where every brushstroke becomes illumination.
Thanks to exceptional loans from the Soulages Museum in Rodez, nearly 130 works are presented, including several never before shown to the public. The result is a renewed perspective on the artist’s creative journey and his singular relationship with paper.
A Minimalist Display in a Historic Setting
Nestled in the heart of the Jardin du Luxembourg, the museum offers a refined, understated scenography that lets Soulages’ forms and contrasts take center stage.
Archival documents, interviews, and video installations accompany the exhibition, providing deeper insight into the painter’s thoughts on time, light, and matter. The visit concludes with a 12-minute immersive virtual reality experience, narrated by Isabelle Huppert, inviting guests into the poetic and sensory world of the master of Outrenoir (“beyond black”).
A Parisian Stay under the Sign of Creation
After discovering this remarkable exhibition, extend your stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg, a haven of greenery and calm in the heart of the 6th arrondissement.
From this emblematic neighborhood, head easily to the 15th arrondissement, where Hotel Moderniste welcomes you in a contemporary space inspired by modernist architecture and French design — the perfect setting for a stay devoted to art and light.
Practical Information
Exhibition: Pierre Soulages: Another Light – Paintings on Paper, Musée du Luxembourg, 19 Rue de Vaugirard, Paris 6th, until January 11, 2026, open Daily from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., late opening on Mondays until 10:00 p.m.
Photo ©Veronika Jorjobert - Unsplash