César Baldaccini (1921–1998) – *compression Bp Pilote*, 1971 – Signed And Numbered Lithograph

CÉSAR BALDACCINI, known as CÉSAR (1921–1998)
Compression BP Pilote – 1971

A beautiful and iconic color lithograph by César Baldaccini, known as César, a major figure in New Realism and French art of the second half of the 20th century.

Created in 1971, this composition revisits one of the artist’s most famous themes: compression.

Here, César transposes the principle of his famous compressed sculptures onto paper. Within a dense, almost cubic mass, colorful fragments of BP and Pilote packaging and graphic identities intertwine and overlap. The greens, yellows, blacks, whites, and reds create a particularly dynamic composition, while the pencil drawings that unfold around the compression remarkably accentuate the impression of volume and weight.

The work thus presents an interesting dialogue between drawing, color, and sculptural illusion, allowing César to bring the world of his famous compressions to life on a flat surface.

Color lithograph on paper.
Signed in pencil “César” in the lower right corner.
Numbered in pencil 387/400 in the lower left corner.

Work preserved under glass in its original frame.

Dimensions with frame: 79 × 66 cm.

An instantly recognizable work by César, particularly representative of his artistic vocabulary and his explorations of the accumulation, compression, and repurposing of materials and symbols derived from industrial society.: In good overall condition considering its age; a few marks and slight signs of aging visible on the paper. The original frame also shows some signs of wear.