André-Fernand Thesmar: A Master of Gilded Enamel in the Belle Époque André-Fernand Thesmar, born in Chalon-sur-Saône, France, in 1843 and passing away in Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1912, stands as a pivotal figure in late 19th and early 20th-century French enamel art. More than simply an enameler, Thesmar was a craftsman who skillfully resurrected the elegance of soft-paste porcelain—a technique that had fallen somewhat out of favor—and infused it with a vibrant, almost theatrical quality through his masterful use of gold foil backing and intricate plique-à-jour techniques. His work represents a f…