Chronology

Louis-Joseph Soulas

Born on September 1st, 1905, at 74 rue Saint-Marceau in Orléans.
The eldest of five children.
Childhood in Lignerolles - School in Patay.

1917
Studies at Ecole de Dessin des Gobelins in Paris.

1918/1922
Learn woodcut at Ecole Estienne (Paris), under the supervision of Léon Jouenne.
Other professors: Henri de Waroquier, Robert Bonfils and Mathurin Méheut.

1922
Graduated from Collège technique Estienne.

1923
Exhibition at Société Nationale from 1923.

1925/1926
Military service at Service géographique de l'Armée, where he met André Jacquemin who initiated him to etching.

1926
Started copper plate engraving, using a burin instead of etching.

1928
Co-founder of the Jeune Gravure Contemporaine in association with eleven other artists (Yves Alix, Gérard Cochet, Etienne Cournault, Anthony Gross, Pierre Guastalla, Joseph Hecht, André Jacquemin, Léon Lang, Robert Lotiron, Mily Possoz et Amédée de La Patellière).

Also member of Société des Peintre-graveurs Français, Salon d'Automne, Indépendants, Société Nationale, and Salon National Indépendant.

1928/1935
Engraver at Banque de France.

1932
National travel award for engraving from the Conseil Supérieur des Beaux-Arts (stay in the area of Collioure and Banyuls).

May 1933
Married Simone Domergues.
Six children were born from 1934 to 1948.

1933
Regular exhibitions at the Indépendants from 1933.
Grand prix du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères.
Grand Prix of engraving at the Universal Exhibition of Warsaw.

1934
Works exhibited at and owned by Museums of Luxembourg, Boston, Honolulu, Le Havre and the Chalcographie du Louvre in Paris.

1936
Exhibition at the Venice Biennale.
Member of the Jury for Blumenthal grants.
Member of Commission administrative de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans.

1938
Works in the following museums : Belfort, Collioure, Mulhouse, Orléans, Pau, Périgueux, Saint-Etienne, La Haye, and British Museum from Londres.
Selected to represent french engraving at the Venice Biennale.
Prix de la Jeune Gravure.

1939
Appointed head of Ecole Régionale des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans, professor of wood and copper engraving, sketch and art drawing.
Associate curator of prints at the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans.
President of the Commission Permanente des Sites du Loiret (representing the minister of l'Education Nationale).
"Groupe de Canevas de Tir" of the 5th Army (Artillery Survey Groups that produced gridded accurate artilly maps).

1940
Send to Headquarters of the 5ème Armée.
Prisoner in Pomerania (Buchenwald).

October 1941
Repatriated because of illness.

1942
Museums of Arts : Strasbourg, Epinal, Philadelphie.

1943/1954
Chairman of "Société des Artistes Orléanais".

1945
President and foundator of Orléans Cinema Club.

1946, 1948 and 1952
Jury Member for "Prix de Rome", engraving category.

1950
Knight of the National Order of The Legion of Honour.

Death of Louis-Joseph Soulas on Friday March 26th 1954 in Paris.