Fernand Thesmar (1843-1912) trained in industrial design in Mulhouse before moving to Paris, where he designed tapestry cartoons and worked in Ferdinand Barbedienne's studio. He exhibited enameled objects at the Salons, which were hugely successful, particularly at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair. He left Barbedienne's workshop to work on his own and began collaborating with the Manufacture de Sèvres in 1891.
He achieved recognition in 1895 when he was awarded the Croix de Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur and at the 1900 World's Fair, where he exhibited in the Manufacture de Sèvres showcase and his own.
The dish we are presenting depicts a swallow in flight against a gold background, above a sea enamelled in shades of turquoise and deep blue. The composition, with its great graphic finesse, demonstrates Thesmar's absolute mastery of the art of translucent enamel and the use of vibrant colors.
