L' Empreinte Digitale, 1991; Limoges by Bernardaud Porcelain; Stamped signature and finger print on underside of oval shaped platter "L' Empreinte Digitale de CESAR 1991 pour Artes Magnus "César" Bernardaud Limoges France"; Numbered 15B/200; Published by Artes Magnus; Includes Original Box; Size: Platter: 12 1/4 x 16 1/2 x 1 1/4"
César Baldaccini, who was born in France and went by simply by name César, was most famous for being a sculptor. His early work used soldered, welded metal, as well as found and junk materials; and by 1960 César was considered one of France's leading sculptors. In the same year, on a visit to a scrap merchant, he saw a hydraulic crushing machine in operation. This was to have an enormous impact on the rest of his career, as he decided to integrate it in with his sculpture. At a Paris exhibition he showed three crushed cars; and it was for what he called his 'Compressions' that César was to became most renowned. He selected particular cars for crushing based on form and color; and he could control the surface pattern and colour scheme of each finished piece.
Later he would join the Nouveaux Réalistes (New Realists), a group of artists interested in "new ways of perceiving the real." This group of artists which included Arman, Klein, Raysse, Tinguely, Pierre Restany and others; was interested in new ways in which to create art, and in the process subvert the status quo. Their inspiration could be found in urban life. César was at the forefront of the Nouveau Réalisme movement; with his radical compressions of compacted automobiles, discarded metal, and/or rubbish. In 1965 he started to work with plastic moulds of human imprints. He quickly followed in 1966 by pouring expanded polyurethane, which was allowed to expand and solidify (he called these works his 'Expansions'). By 1966 he had stopped making welded-metal sculpture, and instead began to organize a series of 'Happenings.' He would later create sculptures made out of molten crystal.
The imprint work began in 1965 would become a staple of César's repertoire. He would utilize the concept of compression as applied to a finger or thumb print. He continued this theme by also creating a series of sculptures of his own thumb. This particular work is a white oval platter designed by César and made in Limoges by Bernardaud. The composition shows an enlarged imprint of the artist's signature thumb print which has been transferred onto the porcelain with all the grooves and undulations. Because of the white color of the porcelain, the shadows caused by the raised imprint create a beautiful three-dimensional sculptural object.
Verso of the platter showing the stamped signature and finger print "L' Empreinte Digitale de CESAR 1991 pour Artes Magnus "César" Bernardaud Limoges France", edition number, and Artes Magnus stamp.
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