César Baldaccini (1921–1998), widely known simply as César, was a prominent French sculptor and one of the leading figures in the Nouveau Réalisme movement, a French avant-garde group that sought to bring life and vitality back into art by incorporating real objects into their works.
Born in 1921, César’s early education in art began at the École des Beaux-Arts in his hometown Marseille, followed by further studies at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. César was first influenced by the metal sculpture of Constantin Brâncuşi, Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti. He soon began experimenting with new techniques and materials, becoming associated with the 1960s Paris-based Nouveau Réalisme movement, a response to Pop Art that involved artists such as Yves Klein.
Renowned for his Compression series, César used a hydraulic crusher to compress objects like cars, metal, and other discarded materials into compact, dense blocks. The transformative nature of sculptures challenges conventional notions of art and materials and the values of mass production. César later used molten plastic and crystal, pouring the viscous liquids into figural moulds so that they would solidify into what he called Expansion.
César’s works can be found in the permanent collections of museums and public spaces across the world, including his iconic, 40-foot bronze thumb sculpture, Le Pouce (1965) which can be found in Paris’s La Défence district. He also designed the award trophy for the Césars — the French equivalent of the Oscars. César died in Paris in 1998.
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Victoire de Villetaneuse
Fanny Fanny
CESAR (1921-1998)
CESAR (CESAR BALDACCINI DIT, 1921-1998)
L'homme de Draguignan
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Le centaure
César (1921-1998)
La Rambaud
Cesar (1921-1998)
Pouce
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
La Pacholette
César (1921-1998)
La Vénus de Villetaneuse
César (1921-1998)
La Rambaud
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Grand Valentin
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Grand Valentin
César (1921-1998)
Ingrid
César (1921-1998)
Napoléon
César (1921-1998)
Bicou de pino
César (1921 - 1998)
Poule à Ailettes (Winged Hen)
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Relief
César (1921-1998)
Grand Valentin
CESAR (CESAR BALDACCINI DIT, 1921-1998)
Portrait de compression
César (1921-1998)
La Poule à limes
César (1921-1988)
La Poule à Limes
César (1921-1998)
Le Sein d’Hélène Rochas (The Breast of Hélène Rochas)
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Nu de la belle de mai
César (1921-1998)
Nu de la belle de mai
César (1921-1998)
La Grosse
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
La Conque
César (1921-1998)
l’Esprit de la Révolution française
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Homme de Villetaneuse
César (1921-1998)
La Vénus de Villetaneuse
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Plaque Tesconi
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
L'aile
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Napoléon jongleur
César (1921-1998)
Hommage à Léon
César (1921-1998)
Compression d'orfevrerie (Silversmith's Compression)
CESAR (1921-1998)
Pouce
César (1921-1988)
La cigale
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Orphée
Cesar (1921-1998)
La grande maison du fada
César (1921-1998)
Sans titre
CESAR (1921-1998)
Lampe expansion
César (1921-1998)
Compression
CESAR (1921-1998)
Valentin I
César (1921–1998)
Aile
César (1921-1998)
Rosine
CÉSAR (1921-1988)
Expansion valise
César (1921-1998)
Ménagère en métal doré
César (1921-1998)
Hommage à Morandi
César (1921-1998)
Césarine
CÉSAR (1921-1998)
Compression de tôles
CESAR (1921-1998)
Autoportrait
César (1921-1998)
Valentin