French, 1921–1998
César
752results on record
80%sell-through
$24,186median result (USD, incl. premium; 96% observed, 4% estimated from hammer)
$686,126record in our coverage
Drawn from 752 recorded results (688 sold · 64 passed) across 25 auction houses, 1998–2026. 6 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 96% observed, 4% estimated from hammer method · log scale
Where does a value land in this market?
The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.
Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.
By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line
| Medium | Results | Sell-through | Median result (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| sculpture | 161 | 83% | $36,432 |
| other | 63 | 100% | $21,250 |
| works on paper | 46 | 100% | $2,947 |
| ceramics & design | 21 | 60% | $36,614 |
| prints | 15 | 69% | $492 |
| painting | 5 | 67% | $11,676 |
Medium is recorded for 311 of 752 results (41%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Arman César Arman
| Metric | César | Arman |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $24,186 | $12,504 |
| Record price | $686,126 | $481,188 |
| Results on record | 752 | 2,090 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: ArmanAndy WarholVictor VasarelySam Francis
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
82/ 100
- Sell-through80%
- Meets estimate77%
- Market depth752 results
How readily and near-estimate this market clears — sell-through, estimate reliability, and depth, blended into one score. "Meets estimate" is the share of sold lots hammering at or above the low estimate, over catalogs that print a real appraisal: a house whose printed low is a starting bid would meet its estimate on every lot, so those lots are excluded from this term only — their prices and outcomes still count in the other two. Method →
Where this artist sells best
| House | Results | Sell-through | Median | vs. estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sotheby's | 320 | 93% | $32,202 | 1.05× |
| Christie's | 184 | 96% | $32,125 | — |
| Artcurial | 71 | — | $9,791 | 0.97× |
| Bonhams | 60 | 75% | $4,450 | 1.16× |
| International Autograph Auctions | 16 | 100% | $255 | 0.80× |
| Dorotheum | 22 | 64% | $24,057 | — |
| Wright | 21 | 57% | $2,355 | — |
| Rago | 9 | 78% | $1,875 | — |
| SBI Art Auction | 6 | 100% | $3,594 | — |
| Koller | 4 | — | $1,583 | — |
| Kruso Art | 7 | 57% | $313 | 0.59× |
| Heritage Auctions | 8 | 50% | $35,000 | — |
| Phillips | 4 | 75% | $48,260 | — |
| Finarte | 4 | 75% | $3,887 | 1.12× |
| Casa d'aste Boetto | 5 | 40% | $21,481 | 1.07× |
| Lempertz | 2 | 50% | $56,455 | — |
| Freeman's | Hindman | 1 | 100% | $4,375 | 0.70× |
| Historia Auktionshaus | 2 | 50% | $204 | — |
| Matsart | 1 | 100% | $125,000 | 1.25× |
| Hermitage Fine Art | 1 | 100% | $362 | 0.91× |
| Daliano Ribani Auctions | 2 | 50% | $1 | 0.00× |
| VERITAS | 2 | 0% | — | — |
| Ishtar | 1 | 0% | — | — |
| Hammersite | 1 | 0% | — | — |
| Alma | 1 | 0% | — | — |
The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →
Prices realized 761 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 64 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026·09 | Poule à clé | $5,000–$7,000 | upcoming | Rago | ||
| 2026·09 | Petite Mounine | $2,000–$3,000 | upcoming | Rago | ||
| 96 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2026·07 | Compression Polychrome (Theiere), circa 1980 | $15,000–$20,000 | Hammersite | |||
| 2026·06 | Untitled. 1989. | Ballpoint pen, wax crayon and gouache on paper. | $1,235–$2,471 | Koller | ||
| 2026·06 | ** Cesar | bronze | $70,000–$90,000 | Matsart | ||
| 2026·06 | Espansione | $1,736–$2,893 | Finarte | |||
| 2026·06 | Petite Mounine | $2,328–$3,492 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2026·06 | Hommage à Eiffel 1991 | $174,600–$232,800 | Bonhams | |||
| 2026·06 | Sans titre | $17,421–$23,228 | upcoming | Christie's | ||
| 2026·05 | Gilt bronze 'Le Sein' pendant | $1,000–$2,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·05 | "La lettera Q", anni '70 | $234–$351 | Daliano Ribani Auctions | |||
| 2026·04 | Diamond 'Compression' Pendant Necklace | César | 鑽石 'Compression' 吊墜項鏈 | $19,150–$38,299 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2026·03 | Cesar: (1921-1998) | $348–$464 | International Autograph Auctions | |||
| 2026·03 | La Victoire de Villetaneuse (The Victory of Villetaneuse) | bronze with black patina | $133,356–$200,033 | Christie's | ||
| 2026·03 | Le Poisson (The Fish) | bronze | $20,003–$26,671 | Christie's | ||
| 2026·01 | Nature morte Série Avatars circa 1970 | $8,343–$11,919 | Bonhams | |||
| 2026·01 | Nature morte Série Avatars circa 1970 | $8,343–$11,919 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·12 | Portrait de compression de bidons d'huile circa 1990 | $11,666–$17,499 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·12 | Fanta 1990 | $11,666–$17,499 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·12 | Cesar: (1921-1998) | $233–$350 | International Autograph Auctions | |||
| 2025·12 | Untitled. Ca. 1989/90. | Ballpoint pen and wax crayon on firm paper. | $994–$1,491 | Koller | ||
| 2025·11 | Compression | $10,000–$15,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·11 | Compression, 1990 | $2,324–$3,486 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·11 | Sans titre, 1989 | $2,324–$3,486 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·11 | Compression, 1995 | $2,324–$3,486 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·11 | Expansion au pot à lait, circa 1989 | $2,324–$3,486 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·10 | Autograph Les Championnes de Cesar, 1986. in French | $290–$348 | Hermitage Fine Art | |||
| 2025·10 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2025·09 | Cesar: (1921-1998) | $177–$236 | International Autograph Auctions | |||
| 2025·09 | Fanta 1990 | $17,710–$23,614 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | Le couple | $18,000–$25,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | Untitled. Ca. 1989/90. | Ballpoint pen, wax crayon, felt tip pen and collage on firm paper. | $1,267–$1,900 | Koller | ||
| 2025·07 | Untitled. 1989. | Ballpoint pen, wax crayon and felt tip pen on paper. | $1,267–$1,900 | Koller | ||
| 2025·06 | La poule, 1980 | $696–$928 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·06 | Sans titre | $3,452–$4,603 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·05 | Pouce | $33,951–$45,268 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2025·05 | Pouce, 1965 | $34,068–$56,780 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·05 | Expansion-Livre, 1970 | $1,111–$1,666 | Finarte | |||
| 2025·04 | L'Aile | bronze à patine noire | $56,730–$79,422 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·03 | Le Pouce | $3,000–$5,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·02 | Valise des Nouveaux Réalistes, 1973 | $3,667–$4,715 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·01 | Portrait de compression | $209–$314 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·01 | Cesar (1921 - 1998) | Lithograph | $83–$125 | Kruso Art | ||
| 2025·01 | Le Plat 1979 | $15,536–$20,714 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·12 | Compression de tubes pharmaceutiques et aérosols | $20,984–$31,476 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·11 | Compression, 1989-1990 | $2,640–$3,697 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·11 | Expansion, 1989 | $2,112–$3,169 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·11 | Le sein, 1966-1970 | $1,267–$1,690 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·11 | La poule, 1980 | $2,112–$3,169 | upcoming | Bonhams | ||
| 2024·11 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2024·11 | i.e. César Bal | — | Historia Auktionshaus | |||
| 2024·09 | Untitled | $15,000–$20,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Bouilloire avec extension, 1976 | $5,566–$7,793 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·07 | "La lettera Q", anni '70 | $217–$326 | Daliano Ribani Auctions | |||
| 2024·06 | Cesar: (1921-1998) | $214–$321 | International Autograph Auctions | |||
| 2024·06 | Sculpture Plate | bronze à patine dorée | $32,694–$54,490 | Christie's | ||
| 2024·06 | Portrait de compression de cartes de garantie Cartier 1983 | $5,432–$7,606 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·05 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2024·04 | Pendentif » Le Sein » | $857–$1,286 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·04 | Compression de cafetière, 1975 | $1,302–$1,953 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·02 | Cesar (1921 - 1998) | $33–$65 | Kruso Art | |||
| 2024·01 | Compression (pendentif) | $2,174–$3,262 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·12 | Moto, circa 1972 | $328–$546 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | Portrait de Nicole | $4,311–$6,466 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | Pendentif "Le Sein" | $1,617–$2,694 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | Ginette | bronze à patine brune | $129,336–$194,004 | Christie's | ||
| 2023·12 | Compression, circa 1980 | $21,634–$32,451 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | Conserve expansion (ouverte), 1969 | $541–$757 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·12 | Conserve expansion (fermée), 1969 | $541–$757 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·11 | Cesar: (1921-1998) | $547–$874 | International Autograph Auctions | |||
| 2023·11 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·11 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·11 | Schweppes | compressed metal cans and graphite on panel in plexiglass box | $4,930–$6,573 | Christie's | ||
| 2023·11 | La Mouche | $15,000–$20,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2023·10 | Portrait de compression de canettes, circa 1990 | $210–$316 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·10 | Compression plastique 1972 | $18,466–$24,621 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·09 | Untitled, circa 1955 | $7,000–$10,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·09 | Sans titre (Sphinx) 1998 | $108–$162 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·08 | compressed car motor "compression pots d échappement" | $20,000–$30,000 | Alma | |||
| 2023·07 | Untitled1968 | $1,500–$2,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·06 | Insecte | $18,985–$25,314 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2023·06 | Pompes de claire | bronze à patine brune | $85,896–$128,844 | Christie's | ||
| 2023·06 | La grande aile 1991 | $32,151–$53,585 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·06 | Compression circa 1980 | $19,229–$26,708 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·06 | Arrachage, color | lithograph | — | Historia Auktionshaus | ||
| 2023·05 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·05 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·05 | [no title recorded] | — | Dorotheum | |||
| 2023·05 | La Vénus de Villetaneuse | bronze à patine noire | $44,296–$66,444 | Christie's | ||
| 2023·04 | Pouce , 1989 | crystal glass | $4,000–$6,000 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2023·03 | Autoportrait, 1973 | $158–$264 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·03 | Autoportrait, 1973 | $158–$264 | Bonhams | |||
| 2023·02 | (Fremch,1921-1998) | — | Ishtar | |||
| 2022·12 | Sans titre | $2,104–$3,156 | Christie's | |||
| 2022·12 | Sans titre | $2,104–$3,156 | Christie's | |||
| 2022·12 | Le Doigt | bronze à patine dorée; en deux parties | $1,052–$1,578 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·12 | Petite Mounine | bronze à patine foncée | $1,578–$2,104 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·12 | Poulette | $4,208–$6,311 | Christie's | |||
| 2022·12 | Moto écrasée | $3,000–$5,000 | Rago | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.