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
$42,183
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
Baigneuses, Morbihan
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 21.5 x 25.5 inches Framed size: 31 x 36 inches
Canvas, Oil
$27,849
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
$24,295
Pourquoi partir? - Post Impressionist Still Life Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas still life in landscape circa 1980 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a view of a harbour from beyond the open green ...
Canvas, Oil
Chàteauneuf-Sur-Cher
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 18.25 x 21.5 inches Framed size: 26 x 29.5 inches Signed lower right
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 “Place De la Concorde”
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Dallas, TX
Marcel Dyf French, 1899-1985 “Place de La Concorde” , 1948 Signed Dyf and dated 1948 Paris (lr) Oil on canvas Canvas: 29 x 39.75 Inches (73.6 x 99 cm) Framed: 35 x 45.25 Inches ...
Paint
Twilight, oil on canvas, cm. 80 x 60 1985
By Vyacheslav Zabelin
Located in Torino, IT
Twilight on purple and blue colors Russian countryside Dacia This work is Published on the book "Zabelin -Master of colours" Vjacheslav ZABELIN (Moscow, 1935 – 2001) MUSEUMS Mosc...
Canvas, Oil
$3,750
H 30 in W 42 in D 2 in
Antique American Framed Impressionist Venice Sunset Cityscape Gondola Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American impressionist sunset landscape oil painting by Louis Saphier (1875/77 - 1954). Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed. Measuring: 30 by 43 inches overall, and 24 by 36 pai...
Canvas, Oil
While The Tide is Out, Provincetown
By Alexis Jean Fournier
Located in Milford, NH
A fine impressionist painting on the shore of Cape Cod with cottages, boats, and figures by American artist Alexis Jean Fournier (1865-1948). Fournier was born on the fourth of July ...
Canvas, Oil
$3,753Sale 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
$2,859
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
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
$4,500
H 28.5 in W 32.5 in D 2 in
"Porto St. Martin - Paris" Colorful Impressionist Cityscape Scene Oil on Canvas
Located in New York, NY
A charming Parisian scene oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Johanne Schiefer. This painting is a wonderful example of his work from the prime of his career. Here you see figures walking the streets by the Porto st. Martin in Paris with an abundance of color and life. The magic is being felt with all the magnificent details, as Schiefer captures the architecture of Paris so beautifully; you can feel the energy of the day and the excitement. The piece is signed by the artist lower right and titled lower left and it comes housed in a wonderful wood carved antique frame with original name plate affixed bottom center and hanging wire on verso ready to be displayed. Art measures 20 x 24 inches Frame measures 28 x 32.5 inches Johannes Schiefer was born in 1896 in the Netherlands, and quickly gained notoriety for his landscapes, still life’s and portraits. Schiefer won the Prix de Rome at the age of 19 and studied at the Düsseldorf Academy in Germany, and then moved to Paris where he continued his studies in art at the Beaux Arts, and later at the Villa Medici in Rome. He traveled to paint across Europe, primarily France and Italy and also Latin America. When he married, he settled down in Nice France, and during the late thirties, he traveled and painted the coastline of the South of France, as well as Venice and the Adriatic. He remained in France until 1942, when he moved to New York with his family after the birth of their daughter, future actress Joanna Miles. Already an artist of stature when he arrived in New York, he settled with his family on Long Island, and for the next 30 years, Schiefer kept on painting and built a solid reputation as an important American artist. The Schiefers also had a son, Johannes Jr. After the war, Schiefer maintained a Paris studio and became a resident of Los Angeles for a time in the 1950s. For the next 30 years Schiefer kept on painting and during his career had numerous one man shows, having exhibitions at: Gallery Zak in Paris; Kunsthaus in Hamburg; Kunsthalle in Munich; Stiebel Galleries in Paris; O'Connor Gallery in Ontario; Museum of Modern Art, Wildenstein & Co, Carol Carstairs Gallery and Schoeneman Galleries in New York City; Esther Robles Gallery, County Museum and Vigoveno Galleries in Los Angeles; and the San Francisco Museum. Like Picasso, Schiefer never permitted himself to be “type-cast” in a single monotonous style. If there is anything that typifies his work, it is his versatility, his deft handling of subdued tones to create a unique brilliance of light and color that stamps every painting with his own individuality. In February 1964, Ethel Kennedy...
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
$3,825Sale 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
$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
$1,800
H 12 in W 16 in D 0.75 in
A Florentine Bar Florence Impressionism 12 x 16 2024 Duomo Drinks
By James Crandall
Located in Houston, TX
A Florentine Bar Florence Impressionism 12 x 16 2024 Duomo Drinks Also shown is "Girl with Aperitivo" which is 16' x 12" and is available. This Florentine painting by James Crand...
Cotton Canvas, Oil, Panel
$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
Sold
H 33.5 in W 38.5 in D 2 in
“Chemin de la Colline” Pastel Impressionist St. Tropez France Landscape Painting
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Houston, TX
Colorful Impressionist landscape painting of St. Tropez by French artist Marcel Dyf. The work features a path by a field leading towards a group of distant houses. Signed in the fron...
Oil, Canvas
Sold
H 34 in W 39 in
L'Eure en Normandie - 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 from the bank of the River Eure in Normandy, France, w...
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
Verger à Bois d’Arcy
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 23.75 x 28.75 inches Framed size: 31.5 x 36.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Brise Cotiere
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Brise Cotiere by Marcel Dyf French 1899 - 1985 Oil on canvas Canvas size: 29.25 x 36.25 inches Framed size: 37.5 x 44.75 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 34 in W 29 in
La Porte du Jardin - Post Impressionist Still Life Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed post impressionist still life oil on canvas circa 1940 by sought after French impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a vase filled with flowers of all colours plac...
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 24 in W 28 in
Le Petit Dejeuner - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas landscape circa 1950 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts a breakfast table with bread laid out and a blue vase filled ...
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
Garden Landscape, 20th Century
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Blackwater, GB
Garden Landscape, 20th Century by MARCEL DYF (1899-1985) 20th Century French impressionist garden landscape, oil on canvas by Marcel Dyf....
Oil, Canvas
Sold
H 11.5 in W 13.5 in
Sand Dunes at the Beach - Post Impressionist Oil, Sea Landscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A wonderful oil on canvas by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf depicting a view of the beach form the sand dunes at Les Saintes Maries de la Mer in Camargue i...
Oil, Board
Sold
H 29 in W 39 in
Old Pear Trees - French Post Impressionist Oil, Winter Landscape by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
A beautiful oil on canvas circa 1960 by sought after French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts an orchard on a farm in winter. There is a white cottage with red ...
Canvas, Oil