André Fernand Thesmar
French, 1843-1912

Inspired by Chinese and Japanese enamels, flower painter André Fernand Thesmar worked in plique-à-jour—an enameling technique with the appearance of stained glass—from the end of 1892 until 1908. In 1893, he received the French Legion of Honor for his contribution to the fine arts.

Plique-à-jour (literally, “braid letting in daylight”) is a technical tour de force, with enamel suspended within a gold filigree framework rather than fused to a copper or glass base. After the framework is shaped and assembled on an iron form, the open spaces are filled with ground glass enamel suspended in a glue-like medium. The surface tension of the liquid suspends the enamel within the filigree walls, like soap bubbles. The enamel hardens when fired in an oven. The painterly effects of shading and multiple colors within one compartment require great skill.

Gold, translucent enamel, plique-à-jour technique, 1900
Mr. and Mrs. George M. Jones, Jr. Fund, 2005.43