Pierre Soulages, Painting, 2013, 40 1/6 by 65 inches.
In France, Pierre Soulages enjoys a reputation comparable to Rothko’s or de Kooning’s in the U.S. Widely regarded as a master of postwar abstraction, he is internationally known for his bold, abstract gestural canvases of the 1950s and early ’60s, several of which are included in this exhibition, his first U.S. show in a decade. Now 94, Soulages continues to produce elegant and spare abstractions, lately using only black. Among the highlights are 14 large, recent canvases from his ongoing “Outrenoir” series, featuring slashing brushstrokes of glossy black against matte black grounds. Without any hint of illusionism, Soulages creates a meditative field of shadows and unfathomable depth.