César Baldaccini (French, 1921–1998), designer, Cartier (French, est. 1847) manufacturer, Compression Pendant, 1973, gold

Audio Description

Designed by French artist and jeweler César Baldaccini in 1973, this piece was manufactured by French jewelry house Cartier, which was established in 1847. Baldaccini lived from 1921–1998.

This rectangular, three-dimensional pendant is made up of various pieces of compressed gold jewelry from Cartier. The Cartier name, numbers, and Baldaccini’s signature can be seen on one side.

Label Copy

Designed by French artist and jeweler César Baldaccini in 1973, this piece was manufactured by French jewelry house Cartier, which was established in 1847. Baldaccini lived from 1921–1998.

Best known for his large sculptural work, César, as he was commonly known, gained prominence for his compressed sculptures. Early in his career, he found debris affordable and began compressing wrecked cars, vegetable crates, worn blue jeans, motorcycles, cutlery and other materials into rectangular totems.

He used the same technique on gold jewelry in the early 1970s, creating smaller pendant-sized versions of his larger sculptures. In 1973, he was commissioned by Cartier to create a series of 33 unique pieces with jewelry that the firm sent him. Having learned with experience, César was able to control, to some degree, the end result, positioning colors and shapes as he desired. Some of his pendants combine silver and gold metals, and others feature jewels that have survived the high-tension compressor and remain intact. No two pieces are alike.

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