Pierre Soulages

signed; signed and dated 3 mars 1970 on the reverse
oil on canvas
202 by 159cm.
Executed in 1970.

M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., New York
Sotheby's, London, December 4, 1974, Lot 103A
Private Collection, Europe (acquired from the above)
Christie's, London, November 30, 1989, Lot 771
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Pittsburgh, Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, 1970 Pittsburgh International: Exhibition of Contemporary Art, October 1970 - January 1971, cat. no. 208, p. 89, illustrated 

Pierre Encrevé, Soulages: L'oeuvre complet Peintures, Vol. II: 1959-1978, Paris, 1995, cat. no. 648, p. 231, illustrated in color

This work is in very good condition. There are very faint and light handling marks at the edges of this unframed canvas, primarily at the center of the left and right edges. A very thinly woven fabric is adhered to all lateral sides of the tacking margin and extending onto the stretcher bar on the reverse. A handful of scattered short linear drips of brownish accretion are apparent primarily in the lower left quadrant, the upper left quadrant, and just above center on the right edge. Under ultraviolet light, there are three apparent areas of retouching located as follows: 16 ½ - 19 ¾" from the top and 13" from the right edge; 20 ¾-22 ½" from the right and 30 ¾-32 ¾" from the bottom; and 16 to 29 ½ inches along the top edge, extending up to 1 ¼" from the top edge. Scattered overall there are tiny specks of yellow fluorescence associated with very fine instances of craquelure throughout. The canvas is unframed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Magnificently thick washes of onyx black pigment cascade forcefully from the top left of the monumental Peinture 3 Mars 1970, its voluminous curvilinear bows thrusting with an elemental gestural force that invites associations with Soulages’ New York School contemporaries, Franz Kline and Robert Motherwell. Having been featured in the influential 1970 Pittsburgh International Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, Peinture 3 Mars 1970 is a remarkable example of Soulages’ mature output. The striking white of the background provides a dazzling visual contrast to the powerful arcs of the luminous midnight-black brushstrokes that plunge downward, seemingly harnessing a metaphorical gravity within this stunningly dramatic painting. With their crisp achromatic palette and elegant swoops of paint, the works from this instantly recognizable series – all executed between 1969 and 1970 – embody a crucial transition in Soulages’ practice toward the refined, sophisticated, and exceptionally sumptuous compositions for which he is most revered. Soulages was deeply inspired by the carved rock monoliths and menhirs that abound near his birthplace of Rodez in Southern France: in its commanding sense of solidity and strength, Peinture 3 Mars 1970 appears to pay homage to these ancient vertical sculptural forms. As Bernard Ceysson noted, “Soulages is a great admirer of the simplicity and grandeur of Cistercian architecture… In this space defined by the musical rhythm of pure and implacable geometry, light merges into darkness.” (Bernard Ceysson, Soulages, Italy 1980, p. 18) This statement appears especially apposite with regards to Peinture 3 Mars 1970, in which the soaring curves of the paint markings are arguably reminiscent of the remarkable vaulting found within cathedrals and churches of the medieval era. The present work brilliantly conveys a sense of striking dichotomies and opposition, with the stark contrast between the dark and light areas of the canvas evoking the ancient and primal concepts of Yin and Yang, masculine and feminine, night and day. The result is a work that, despite the energetic movements of the paint surface which dominate the upper level of the composition, is suggestive of meditative profundity: a work that encourages intense contemplation and cogitation on the part of the viewer. Reflecting on this seminal and compelling body of work, Catherine Millet asked Pierre Soulages, "What does a painter look for in black and white?” The artist replied, "Black is the color that is most opposed to everything that surrounds it. A black and white picture has nothing to do with its natural environment, which is always colorful.".(Pierre Soulages cited in conversation with Catherine Millet, translated from “Pierre Soulages: La Peinture au Présent”, Art-Press, no. 34, Paris February 1980, n.p.)