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.
"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
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
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
"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
$42,031
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
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
$27,748
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...
Canvas, Oil
$40,398
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
$148,003
H 25.6 in W 36.03 in
Place de la République, 20th Century Oil on Canvas by Edouard Léon Cortès
By Édouard Leon Cortès
Located in Madrid, ES
EDOUARD LÉON CORTÈS French, 1882 - 1969 PLACE DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE signed "EDOUARD CORTÈS." (lower right) oil on canvas 25-3/4 x 36-1/4 inches (65 x 91.5 cm.) framed: 33-1/2 x 44-1/4 inches (85 x 112 cm.) PROVENANCE Private Collection, Chicago Edouard Léon Cortès (1882–1969) was a French post-impressionist artist of French and Spanish ancestry. He is known as "Le Poète Parisien de la Peinture" or "the Parisian Poet of Painting...
Oil, Canvas
$18,500Sale Price|26% Off
H 19 in W 21 in
"Picnic Scene" Paulette Van Roekens, Impressionist Scene, Leisure, Pastel Colors
Located in New York, NY
Paulette Van Roekens Picnic Scene Signed lower center Oil on canvas 12 1/8 x 14 1/4 inches Painter Paulette van Roekens was born in France and attended the Philadelphia School of D...
Canvas, Oil
$3,729Sale Price|30% Off
H 28.75 in W 36.23 in D 0.79 in
Post-Impressionist Colorful Oil Paint Landscape "Le Pont Neuf, Paris"
By Joan Raset
Located in Segovia, ES
Le Pont Neuf - Paris. Oil on canvas by Spanish artist Joan Raset. Dimension with frame 84 cm H x 104 cm W x 4 cm D Dimension without frame 73 cm H x 92 cm W x 2 cm D Beautiful Pa...
Canvas, Oil
$2,841
H 80.71 in W 11.23 in
Moonlight in Autumn, Gotland (Månsken Höst, Gotland) 1920
Located in Stockholm, SE
Louis Sparre 1863–1964 Moonlight in Autumn, Gotland (Månsken Höst, Gotland) 1920 executed in 1920 oil on canvas laid board unframed: 20.5 × 28.5 cm (8.07 × 11.22 in) framed: 32 × 4...
Canvas, Oil
A Good Day's Walk - Cumberland, England
By Michael Matthews
Located in Soquel, CA
Romantic English landscape titled "A good day's walk" of Cumberland England by Michael Matthews (British, b. 1933). Presented in a giltwood frame. Signed "Michael Matthews" lower rig...
Canvas, Oil
$3,811Sale Price|22% Off
H 29 in W 23 in D 1.75 in
Painting of Medieval French Village Saint Cirq Lapopie by Modern British Artist
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Original painting of the beautiful medieval French village of Saint Cirq Lapopie, Midi-Pyrénées, France, by leading Contemporary British Artist, Angela...
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Spanish school fishermen's beach seascape Spain
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Signed Oliveras - Fisherman's Beach - Oil on canvas. Slight paint chips on the sides that covered the frame. Oil measurements 61x122 cm. Frameless.
Canvas, Oil
$3,200
H 35.75 in W 45.75 in D 2 in
"L'Arc de Triomphe, Paris" Post-Impressionist City Scape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French artist A Bouget, a Parisian painter known for his vibrant cityscapes that depicted the times of his generation. This painting is a wo...
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
$3,000
H 19 in W 23 in D 1 in
"The Hay-wagon" Impressionist Countryside Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
By Josef Csillag
Located in New York, NY
An exceptional impressionistic painting titled 'The Hay-wagon" depicting an afternoon along the field with workers collecting hay on to a wagon with horses. Here the scene is set on ...
Canvas, Oil
$3,500
H 29 in W 25 in D 5 in
"Evening Along The Avenue" Post-Impressionist Street Scene Oil Painting Canvas
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
$3,137
H 13.19 in W 20.28 in
Pointillist - Scandinavian Winter Landscape, 1907 by Arthur Percy
Located in Stockholm, SE
Introducing "Scandinavian Winter Landscape, 1907" a mesmerizing painting by the artist Arthur Percy Carlsson, later known as Arthur C:son Percy (1886-1976). Born in Vickleby, Öland, Percy's artistic journey was one defined by unwavering determination and exceptional talent. This landscape painting presents a winter landscape, likely set during the early spring season. The canvas portrays a vast, snow-filled meadow, blanketed in pristine white. Above, the sky comes alive in a captivating pointillist style, with hues of blue, turquoise, and yellow forming delicate, scattered dots, while small clouds grace the horizon. The scene unfolds with an enchanting backdrop of a distant forest, its trees adorned with a touch of winter's charm. Between the enchanting forest and the expansive meadow, a few humble houses...
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.