Known for his pastoral landscapes, still-life paintings of flower bouquets, and portraits — notably of his wife, Claudine — French painter Marcel Dyf is widely regarded as one of the last of the true Impressionists. His mastery of composition and use of soft colors influenced many artists, setting the standard for 20th-century Post-Impressionism.
Dyf was born Marcel Dreyfus in 1899 in Paris. As a child, he displayed artistic talent but briefly considered a career as an engineer before becoming a professional painter at 23, influenced by the likes of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer.
In 1922, Dyf set up a studio in Arles and initially painted landscapes, capturing scenes of the surrounding countryside in oil on canvas. He produced many landscapes depicting Provence, Brittany, Normandy and locales further afield such as Venice, Morocco and Israel.
It wasn’t long before Dyf’s works caught the eye of art dealers and collectors, and he was urged to exhibit in Paris at the Salon des Artistes Français, the Salon d’Automne and the Tuileries.
In 1935, he moved from Arles to Paris and, at the outbreak of World War II, joined the French Resistance. Following the war, during the 1950s, he met 19-year-old model Claudine Godat, who — despite their 36-year age difference — became his wife, muse and subject for many of his most well-known portraits. These include Claudine Songeuse, Claudine and the Red Rose and Claudine with Flowers.
Over the course of his career, Dyf created a substantial body of work — he made landscape paintings, portraits and figurative works. He also painted frescoes in the Museon Arlaten in Arles and produced decorative pieces in the town halls of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and St-Martin-de-Crau.
Following his death in 1985, Dyf’s paintings continued to be featured in numerous exhibitions. The General Council of Bouches-du-Rhône staged a retrospective of his early works in 1995. Four years later, a show that marked what would have been his 100th birthday was held at the L’Espace Dyf in Bois-d’Arcy.
Today, Dyf’s paintings and prints are highly sought by dealers and collectors of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
Find original Marcel Dyf paintings and wall decorations on 1stDibs.
Champ de ble - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas landscape circa 1960 by French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a golden wheat field, contrasted against dark hills in the distance. Sign...
Canvas, Oil
"The Golf" Oil on Canvas Impressionist Painting at Chiberta in Southern France
By Marcel Dyf
Located in New York, NY
Marcel Dyf was mostly known for his effortless way to captures the times of the people. Executing most works on-site, he truly was able to absorb the energy and the day, movement of ...
Canvas, Oil
Le Moisson - Provence - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape circa 1950 by French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts doing a late summer harvest in Provence, France. Signature: Si...
Canvas, Oil
$42,535
Voiliers
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 24 x 28.5 inches Framed size: 33 x 38.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
"The Gypsy" Pensive Girl Sitting in a Field Oil on Canvas Impressionist Painting
By Marcel Dyf
Located in New York, NY
Marcel Dyf was mostly known for his effortless way to captures the times of the people. Executing most works on-site, he truly was able to absorb the energy and the day, movement of ...
Canvas, Oil
Cannes et le vieux port - Post Impressionist Oil, Landscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed figures in landscape oil on canvas circa 1940 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The piece depicts people enjoying a sunny winter's day at the port ...
Canvas, Oil
$28,081
Cale Du Logeo
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 15 x 18.5 inches Framed size: 20 x 23 inches Signed lower left
Canvas, Oil
Claudine in the Forest
By Marcel Dyf
Located in New York, NY
In our painting of Claudine, Dyf returns to one of his favorite genres, and with most likely his favorite model. Realized with dramatic suggestive strokes of thick paint, Claudine is...
Oil, Canvas
$40,883
Nature Morte
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 28.75 x 23.75 inches Framed size: 36 x 32 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
MARCEL DYF Femme à sa Toilette, Modern Oil Painting, Framed, Mid-20th Century
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
H 30.25 x W 26.75 x D 2 in. (framed) Signed lower right: “DYF” Dyf Archives ID No. 2063 Provenance Christie’s East, New York, Modern Paintings, Drawings & Sculptures, November 10, 1992, lot 60 as Nu à sa toilette. Private collection Private collection, New York (Purchased from above) This item is in our New York City warehouse and can be viewed by appointment. Marcel Dyf’s 1950 oil painting...
Canvas, Oil
Paysans devant le village - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape circa 1950 by French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts workers tending to a field beside a rural village. Signature: ...
Canvas, Oil
Djeuner Champtre
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Sheffield, MA
Marcel Dyf French, 1899-1985 Djeuner Champtre Oil on canvas 23 ½ by 28 ¾ in. W/frame 31 ½ by 36 ¾ in. Signed lower left Marcel Dyf (Marcel Dreyfus) was born in Paris on October 7,...
Oil
Marcel Dyf Leccon De Musique
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Dallas, TX
Marcel Dyf (French, 1899-1985) Leçon de musique; Music Lesson Circa 1965, Oil on canvas Dimensions: 29 x 24 inches (73.0 x 61.0 cm) Framed: 36 x 31 Inches Signed lower right: Dyf T...
Paint
Vendimiadora (Grape Harvester)
By Roman Frances
Located in Atlanta, GA
Small limited edition run of 49 and 6 E.A."s (Edition of the artist). Each canvas reproduction is crafted by a skilled printer under the supervision of the artist. Román Francés has...
Canvas, Oil, Giclée
$6,000
H 15.75 in W 18.75 in D 2 in
"La Place Dutertre a Montmartre" Impressionist Paris Scene Oil Painting Framed
By Jean Salabet
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Jean Salabet. Salabet was a Parisian painter known for his colorful cityscapes depicting the times of his generation. His wor...
Canvas, Oil
$7,500
H 39 in W 49 in D 3.5 in
"City Life at The Grands Boulevards" Post-Impressionist Parisian Street Scene
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Te Pencke. Pencke was a Parisian painter known for his colorful cityscapes depicting the times of his generation. His work is...
Canvas, Oil
$5,000
H 34 in W 45.75 in D 3.5 in
"View of Venice Canal" Orientalist & Impressionist Marine Oil on Canvas Painting
Located in New York, NY
A masterful oil painting depicting a view of a Venice Canal by Grace Paterson. As an Impressionist and orientalist painter, she was known for her detailed works depicting scenes from...
Canvas, Oil
$3,879
H 44.89 in W 57.49 in
"Wheat Under the Storm", Captivating Stormy Landscape of pre-Harvest Fields
By Yves Calméjane
Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Yves Calméjane's "Wheat Under the Storm", an oil on canvas measuring approximately 44.9 inches by 57.5 inches, is a stirring depiction of the dynamic French Dordogne landscape under ...
Canvas, Oil
$10,000
H 30 in W 35 in D 2.5 in
"Montmartre" Post-Impressionist Lively Paris Scene Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
By Jean Salabet
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Jean Salabet. Salabet was a Parisian painter known for his colorful cityscapes depicting the times of his generation. His wor...
Canvas, Oil
$3,493
H 16.93 in W 20.87 in
Tranquil Reflections – Swedish Summer Landscape by Olof Arborelius
Located in Stockholm, SE
Olof Arborelius (1842-1915) Sweden Landscape, likely from the Uddevalla area oil on canvas signed O.Arb.s unframed: 25 x 35 cm (9 7/8 x 13 3/4 in) framed: 43.5 x 53 cm (17 1/8 x 2...
Canvas, Oil
$1,523
H 18.9 in W 22.45 in D 1.58 in
"Puy d'Aoust", Impressionist Hilly Landscape Oil Painting
By Yves Calméjane
Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
This artwork is a unique masterpiece. Isn't it amazing how that few a number of strokes can depict reality with such accuracy ? A single stroke is more than enough for Yves Calmeja...
Canvas, Oil
$3,500
H 25 in W 29 in D 1.5 in
"Riverside Park" Post War Impressionist Oil on Canvas Painting with Figures
Located in New York, NY
A masterful oil painting depicting a view of a riverside wooded park in a beautiful sunny day at the early fall season. A figure seated on a blue bench with a bridge behind, a couple...
Canvas, Oil
$2,436Sale Price|40% Off
H 22.84 in W 26.38 in
The Boat in Martigues, France
By Marie-Anne Nivoulies de Pierrefort
Located in London, GB
'The Boat in Martigues', oil on canvas, by Marie de Nivouliès de Pierrefort (circa 1910). Martigues is a small port town just northwest of Marseille in the South of France. Its nickname is the Provençal Venice. Further eastward down the coast is the town of Toulon where the artist was born in 1879. Nivouliès depicts a charming sailboat tied to the small pier yet with an unfurled sail. It looks to be a wondrous day along the Mediterranean, the kind we can always dream about. The painting is over one hundred years old and is in fair condition, yet recently brought back to life by an art restoration professional. Elegantly framed, it is stabilised now for decades into the future. Signed by the artist on the lower right corner. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Upon request, a video may be provided of the artwork. About the Artist: Although she was a direct descendant of the counts of de Pierrefort, Marie de Nivouliès de Pierrefort's (1879-1968) family was very poor. In spite of the poverty, Pierrefort attended a Catholic school run by nuns, obtaining a scholarship from the School of Fine Arts of Paris. While still a student, she attended workshops of great Impressionist masters such as Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) and Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947). In 1910 she won a travel award from the school and traveled to Tunisia where she painted several Mediterranean landscapes. In 1938 the painter moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she painted the beautiful landscapes seen from her window. In Rio, Pierrefort had two individual exhibitions, both at the National Museum of Fine Arts, in the years 1946 and 1956. Although widowed in 1944, Pierrefort decided not to return to France until 1950. She remained there until 1959 when she definitively returned to Brazil. Her atelier in the neighbourhood of Glória was frequented by many emerging artists who learned the techniques of impressionism from her. Afterwards, Pierrefort painted for almost a decade in Brazil until she passed away in 1968 in Rio. After her death, many canvases were found in her studio but had been damaged or destroyed by humidity and by the intervention of her many cats. The painter Sergio Telles...
Canvas, Oil
$4,000
H 31.25 in W 40.75 in D 1.25 in
“Fumi al Caffè” Steaming Coffee Parisian Impressionist Scene Oil Painting Framed
By Antonio Gravina
Located in New York, NY
This painting was executed during his stay in Paris, where he packed much detail throughout. A lively Parisian scene depicted with a textured brushwork in an impressionistic style, c...
Canvas, Oil
Dacha in winter oil cm. 61 x 80 1980 skis white snow
By Gleb Savinov
Located in Torino, IT
White, snow, skiing, winter, russia, dacha GLEB SAVINOV (Charkev, 1915 – St. Petersburg, 2000) Works by Gleb Savinov can be found in various private collections in Europe, Japan, ...
Canvas, Oil
Still Life
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on Canvas Canvas Size: 21.75 x 18 inches Framed Size: 28 x 25.5 inches Signed Lower Right
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 34 in W 39 in
Amandiers en fleurs - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas landscape circa 1960 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a view of farmland with almond trees in bloom. Signature: Si...
Canvas, Oil
Claudine Reading
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 18 x 21.5 inches Framed size: 26 x 29.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 32 in W 37 in
Le champ de coquelicots - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting - Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas figures in landscape by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts workers picking flowers in a poppy field in St Paul de Vence,...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 32 in W 37 in
Claudine à la capeline - Post Impressionist Portrait Oil Painting by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas portrait by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a painting of Claudine seated at a table upon which are a ceramic vase filled with flowers, a basket of fruit a green wine glass and a crumpled napkin. Claudine is wearing red skirt with a white blouse over which her long red hair...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 26 in W 30 in
Lavoir sur la rivière - Impressionist Oil, Figures in Riverscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Beautiful signed oil on canvas riverscape circa 1969 by sought after French impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts two women in a wash house, cleaning clothes in the tree...
Canvas, Oil
Marcel Dyf Young Woman Reading
By Marcel Dyf
Located in San Francisco, CA
Marcel Dyf: 1899-1985. Well listed French painter. Some consider him the last of the great French Impressionists. He has had auction results over $60,000 and has sold for more in gal...
Oil
Sold
H 27.5 in W 23.5 in
Le Salon Rouge - Post Impressionist Oil, Figure in Interior by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A wonderful oil on canvas circa 1950 by French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a beautiful brunette woman wearing black and red skirt...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 23 in W 26 in
Marche aux Fleurs - Post Impressionist Oil, Figures in Landscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A charming oil on canvas circa 1960 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf depicting women at a flower market in Arles, France. The stalls are shaded by the lon...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 15 in W 18 in
Pont de l'Alma - Post Impressionist Oil, River in Cityscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A lovely oil on canvas circa 1940 by sought after French painter Marcel Dyf, depicting a view of the Pont de l'Alma (Alma Bridge) which runs over the River Seine and the buildings of...
Canvas, Oil
Paris - Seine
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A stunning image of the Seine in Paris c. 1950. Very expressive with great vibrancy and depiction of figures. A really delightful piece. Oil on canvas, signed lower left. Marcel Dyf was a French painter best known for his work in the Impressionist movement. Though he started to paint in his younger years, Dyf did not begin to focus on art until 1922, when he moved to Arles, France. In 1935, he moved to Paris, France, and acquired a studio once used by Maximilien Luce. Dyf only worked there for a few years before he joined the French Resistance during World War II. In 1949, Dyf opened a studio in Saint Paul-de-Vence in Provence, France. The following year, he opened a second studio in Cannes, France, and studied at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. Though his early work often showed landscapes, he decided to start working on portraits. After Dyf married his wife, Claudine, he asked her to pose for him, and many of his portrait paintings showed Claudine in various poses, including Portrait d''une Femme, Portrait de la Femme à la Robe Bleue, and Le Souper Solitaire. The artist's first show came in 1949 at the House of Petrides in Paris, France. The gallery exhibited his work again in 1951 and 1953. Some of Dyf's later paintings used landscape images in new ways. He frequently added new colors, texture, and fluid lines that gave the paintings a surreal quality. Le port de La Rochelle...
Canvas, Oil
Claudine a l' Eventail
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Claudine Dyf has kindly authenticated this work. It is registered in the archive catalog as ID # 1640. Size is 92 x 73 cm. dated 1960.