César Baldaccini, known as “César”, is a famous French sculptor of Italian origin. He is world renowned for his massive bronze sculptures, the Compressions, which gave birth to the trophy for the César du Cinéma ceremony in 1976.

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During his studies at the Beaux-Arts in Marseille, César won awards in engraving, drawing and architecture. Because of the high cost of stone, he turned to materials such as plaster or iron. As early as 1955, his works met with resounding success and were acquired by prestigious institutions. César quickly signed a contract with a Parisian gallery and joined the Nouveaux Réalistes, a movement to which also belonged. Arman, Jean Tinguely or Niki de Saint-Phalle.

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In 1965, he created his iconic sculpture Thumb, enlargement of 1.85 meters of his own finger. In 1988, during the Olympic Games in Seoul, he reproduced this feat with a 6-meter-high sculpture.

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César, an eclectic and colorful character, knew how to cultivate the image of an eternal craftsman who never gave up experimentation. His sculptures are present all over the world, especially in Marseille, where the Giant Thumb sits on the roundabout on Avenue de Hambourg. La retrospective presented by the Centre Pompidou in 2018 was warmly welcomed by critics.