RARE Sèvres “Rooster” in New Hard-Paste Porcelain, 1915 — Ref. 06915

at the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres

 Molded by Edmond Dubois After Ytiga Noumata

A remarkably rare hard-paste porcelain Rooster created at the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres in 1915, modeled by Edmond Dubois (active 1910–1920) from a design by the celebrated Japanese sculptor Ytiga Noumata (1873–1954). This exceptional piece represents Sèvres’ early 20th-century innovation in “pâte nouvelle,” combining the refinement of biscuit porcelain with the brilliance of polychrome decoration.

Material: Hard-paste “pâte nouvelle” porcelain, molded in the round

Finish: Polychrome decoration

Dimensions: Height 18 cm - 7.1"; Length 11 cm - 4.3"; Width 7.2 cm - 2.8"

Marks: Twice marked — under the base and on the terrace edge — “S 1915 DN Sèvres ED,” with ED for Edmond Dubois

The biscuit version of this rooster, made in the traditional Sèvres porcelain body, was created at the Manufacture in 1905, the year when Noumata was in Paris working with Auguste Rodin. A dated example is illustrated in Lechevallier-Chevignard’s La Manufacture de Porcelaine de Sèvres (1908) (see photo).

The rooster we are presenting is exceptionally rare: it is polychrome and was molded by Dubois in 1915 using the experimental new hard-paste porcelain (porcelaine dure nouvelle), making it a particularly distinctive and remarkable version of the model. It is the only example we know.

What Does “Sèvres Porcelaine Dure Nouvelle” Mean?

At the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, “porcelaine dure nouvelle” (sometimes called pâte nouvelle) refers to an experimental hard-paste porcelain formula developed around 1910–1920. This innovative material combines:

the strength and whiteness of traditional hard-paste porcelain,

the matte, refined surface of biscuit,

greater precision in modeling,

and the possibility of more subtle polychrome decoration.

It was used primarily for sculptural works, often modeled in the round, such as this rooster by Edmond Dubois after Ytiga Noumata. Only very few pieces were ever produced in this special porcelain body.

Museum Presence & Exhibitions

A biscuit porcelain example is exhibited at the Ariana Museum in Geneva. The biscuit version of this model is preserved at the Musée Ariana, Geneva (Inventory No. AR 05641) and has appeared in major exhibitions, including “Le Bestiaire de l’Ariana,” Banque de la Suisse Italienne, Geneva, July 15, 1996 – February 28, 1997

Published References

This biscuit example and related works by Noumata and Dubois are documented in key Sèvres publications:

Marcelle Brunet, Sèvres. Des origines à nos jours, Fribourg, 1978, pp. 364, 376

M. Lechevallier-Chevignard, Les œuvres de la Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, Paris, 1932, No. 1153

Georges Lechevallier-Chevignard, La manufacture de porcelaine de Sèvres, Paris, 1908, fig. p. 58 (see photo)

Les biscuits de la Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, Paris, plates 144–145 (see photo)

About Ytiga Noumata (1873–1954)

Ytiga Noumata studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, specializing in realistic zoomorphic sculpture. Determined to continue his training in France, he learned French and became an intern at the Manufacture de Sèvres, where he explored the sculptural possibilities of ceramic material beyond decorative objects.

In 1905–1906 he worked with Auguste Rodin, refining his modeling technique. Upon returning to Japan, he became a pivotal figure in the revival of modern ceramic sculpture, later returning to Sèvres in 1921. Widely considered the founder of ceramic sculpture in Japan, Noumata was the first Japanese artist to receive the Légion d’Honneur, and he produced around twenty sculptures during his two residencies at Sèvres.

Why This Piece Matters

This 1915 Sèvres Rooster presented here is an extraordinarily rare example of early modernist porcelain sculpture, distinguished by:

A documented design by a major Japanese sculptor connected to Rodin

Execution by Sèvres master modeler Edmond Dubois

A unique material (nouvelle pate dure) and finish (polychrome) — the only polychrome hard-paste version we know

Strong museum and bibliographic provenance.

A rare and exceptional acquisition for collectors of Sèvres porcelain, animalier sculpture, Art Deco ceramics, and early 20th-century Franco-Japanese art.