The thumb is a fragment of reality, a symbol of practice and manual labor. César plays on the break in scale, giving this anatomical fragment the dimensions of a monumental sculpture. César's thumb is always raised to the sky: a sign of assent, of implacable optimism, but also of vanity.

There are several examples of Caesar's famous thumb, but the one at La Défense, a technical feat of enlarged casting, is the most imposing at 12 meters high and 18 tons in weight. Le Pouce can be found in many institutional collections and public spaces around the world, including Seoul, Washington and Koblenz.

The original model, a reproduction of the artist's thumb created in 1965 for an exhibition on the theme of the hand, measured "only" 40 cm and fetched 1.2 million euros at a prestige sale during the Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain (FIAC).

Born in Marseille into a family of Italian origin, César Baldaccini (commonly known by his first name) began sculpting from an early age, using scraps of salvaged metal. After studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille and then Paris (where he later became a teacher), he produced his first weldings, but made a name for himself particularly with his expressive, humorous compressions.

Until his death in 1998, he continued to create a disconcerting and protean body of work, describing himself ironically as a radical artist.