Black Is Still the Only Color for Pierre Soulages

SETE, France — To get to work, French artist Pierre Soulages must navigate about a dozen steps from his house overlooking the Mediterranean to his studio downstairs, just above a sparkling blue pool. At age nearly 100, this has become a little difficult lately. “It’s just because of my knee,” he said as an assistant gave him a hand. But he still makes it down there to paint regularly, if not every day. The cavernous space is remarkably tidy, with canvasses hung against the walls and tools sto...