Soulages Museum to open in Rodez
Pierre Soulages, aged 89, is one of the most important French painters of the second half of the 20th century. He is best known for his entirely black abstract paintings and his works are shown in museums all around the world.
In 2005 Pierre Soulages and his wife Colette made an exceptional donation to his native town, Rodez. Their gift comprises 500 works and documents, estimated at the time of 15 million Euros (30 to 45 million Euros today). To house these works, a new and ambitious museum will open in 2011 in Rodez at the initiative of the Agglomeration du Grand Rodez.
The donation made is one of the biggest in France since the Second World War. Labeled 'Museum of France', the future museum will be the key international reference point for the work of Pierre Soulages.