César (1921-1998), an emblematic sculptor considered provocative by the critics of his day, achieved fame during his lifetime and stands as a major figure of the New Realist movement, alongside Yves Klein, Arman and Niki de Saint Phalle. The creator of a wide-ranging body of work, he is known for his human imprints (one of his Pouce sculptures stands in the Tuileries Gardens) and for his Compressions, the most famous of which is the César trophy awarded at the French film awards. He represented France at the Venice Biennale in 1994, a mark of his international recognition. Twenty years after his death, the Centre Pompidou staged a retrospective, gathering together more than a hundred of his works from collections around the world. This book is a reissue, expanded with 150 new catalogue entries, of an edition conceived in close collaboration with the artist in 1994; together with the author, he carefully defined, among other things, the layout, titles and dating of the works. Faithful to César's own wishes, this new edition is the first volume of a trilogy of catalogues raisonnés, the essential reference for understanding his work. This first volume traces the early years of his career - his bestiaries and his work in iron - through to his first Compressions in the 1960s, richly illustrated with portraits of the artist and excerpts from interviews that bring readers close to his creative process.Text in English and French.