César Baldaccini, known simply as César

He was a French sculptor born in 1921 in Marseille and died in 1998 in Paris. Coming from a modest Italian immigrant family, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille and later in Paris. 

He rose to fame in the 1950s with his welded metal sculptures, and gained international recognition in the 1960s with his Compressions—compact sculptures made from crushed cars and metal objects.

A key member of the Nouveau Réalisme movement, César also experimented with new materials, creating his Expansions using polyurethane foam. Among his most iconic works are monumental pieces like Le Pouce (The Thumb) and Le Poing (The Fist). 

He is also known for designing the César Award trophy, France’s equivalent of the Oscars. Bold, inventive, and deeply modern, his work remains a cornerstone of 20th-century contemporary art.