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.
"Claudine" Marcel Dyf, Impressionist Painter, Female Portrait, French, Interior
By Marcel Dyf
Located in New York, NY
Marcel Dyf Claudine Signed lower right Oil on canvas 25 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches Marcel Dyf, born Marcel Dreyfus in Paris, was a French painter whose work carried forward the traditions...
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
$9,750
H 40 in W 32 in D 2 in
Stunning Art Deco Young Woman Portrait Framed Signed Rare Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Exquisite antique portrait painting of a young fashionable woman. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 31H by 24L.
Canvas, Oil
$1,295
H 28 in W 22 in D 2 in
American Impressionist Young Black Man Nicely Framed Oil Painting Portrait
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American oil painting portrait. Oil on board. Framed. Measuring: 22 by 28 inches overall, and 16 by 24 painting alone. Unsigned. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.
Oil
$3,996Sale Price|20% Off
H 45 in W 33 in D 2 in
Antique European Signed Impressionist Large Framed Woman Portrait Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique European impressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed in period giltwood molding. Excellent cond...
Oil, Canvas
$620Sale Price|20% Off
H 28 in W 24 in D 2 in
Antique Signed Spanish Flamenco Dancer Framed Elegant Portrait Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted Flamenco dancer portrait. Framed. Oil on board. Signed. Image size, 20H by 16L.
Canvas, Oil
$1,295
H 32 in W 26 in D 2 in
Antique European Impressionist Elegant Young Woman Portrait Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique European impressionist portrait oil painting . Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 26 by 32 inches overall, and 21.5 by 26.5 painting alone. Handsomely framed in a gi...
Oil, Canvas
$1,180Sale Price|20% Off
H 38 in W 30 in D 2 in
Antique American School Early Impressionist Family Portrait Rare Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Wonderful American school impressionist family portrait oil painting. Oil on canvas. Image size, 38H by 30L.
Canvas, Oil
$1,980Sale Price|20% Off
H 33 in W 27 in D 2 in
Antique American Impressionist Expressive Young Woman Oil Painting Portrait
Located in Buffalo, NY
Very finely painted late 19th or early 20th century portrait painting. Oil on canvas. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a giltwood molding. Excellent conditio...
Canvas, Oil
$4,750
H 38 in W 29 in D 2 in
Ashcan School Early Antique American Impressionist Woman Portrait Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Finely painted antique American school oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Measuring 29 by 38 inches overall and 23 by 32 painting alone. Unsigned. Painted in a striking Ashcan s...
Canvas, Oil
$5,567
H 26.58 in W 22.05 in D 3.94 in
‘Oriental Girls - Mediants à Tanger’ by Jean François Portaels (1818 - 1895)
Located in Knokke, BE
Jean François Portaels 1818 - Brussels - 1895 Belgian Painter ‘Oriental Girls - Mediants à Tanger, Maroc’ Signature: signed lower right ‘J. Portaels’ Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image size 40,5 x 28,5 cm, frame size 67,5 x 56 cm Biography: Jean François Portaels, also known as Jan Portaels, was a versatile Belgian painter born on April 3, 1818, in Vilvoorde and passed away on February 8, 1895, in Schaerbeek. He was celebrated for his genre scenes, biblical stories, landscapes, portraits, and Orientalist subjects. As a teacher and director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Ghent and the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Portaels significantly impacted Belgian art, becoming a pivotal figure in the Belgian Orientalist school. His works were known for their 'everyday elegance and feminine grace,' and he played a crucial role in influencing the next generation of Belgian artists, including notable figures like Théo van Rysselberghe. Portaels was the son of a wealthy brewer who also served as Vilvoorde's mayor. Showing an early passion for drawing, he was sent to the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1836, where he studied under François-Joseph Navez, a former student of Jacques-Louis David. Navez invited him to his studio, which was renowned at the time, allowing Portaels to refine his skills alongside other talented students like Charles de Groux and Joseph Stallaert. In 1841, Portaels moved to Paris, enrolling at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and studying under Paul Delaroche. He became influenced by the emerging Orientalist movement, which was gaining traction in Paris. In 1842, he won the Grand Prix de Rome, which funded his travels across Italy and other regions, including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Judea, Spain, Hungary, and Norway. These journeys profoundly influenced his artistic vision, particularly his Orientalist works. Upon his return to Belgium in 1847, Portaels was appointed Director of the academy in Ghent. In 1849, he married Marie Hélène Navez, the daughter of his first teacher. Despite being offered the directorship of the Brussels Academy, he initially declined, opting to preserve his independence. He later accepted a teaching position at the Academy and eventually became its director in 1878, succeeding Eugène Simonis. Portaels was known for his broad range of artistic talents, including history painting, portraiture, and genre art. He was particularly recognised for his Orientalist depictions, often portraying the 'Oriental woman' with distinctive features like arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. His style, marked by charm and elegance, distinguished him from the dominant artistic movements of Classicism and Romanticism. He was a pioneer in monumental art in Belgium, working with Jean Baptiste van Eycken to introduce fresco techniques like water glass painting...
Oil, Canvas
$1,180Sale Price|20% Off
H 24 in W 18 in D 2 in
Antique American Impressionist Opera Scene Signed Elegant Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted American impressionist oil painting by Richard W. Baldwin (1920 - 2012). Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.
Canvas, Oil
$2,250
H 26.25 in W 20.5 in D 2.5 in
“Portrait of a Seated Lady in Wicker Chair”
By Adolphe Borie
Located in San Francisco, CA
A picture of calm refined beauty, the sitter epitomizes elegant and casual repose propped up against pillow in her spacious wicker armchair. Captured by master American portraitist ...
Oil, Board
$1,180Sale Price|20% Off
H 25 in W 19 in D 2 in
Antique American Opera Scene Signed Rare Illustration Framed Genre Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Incredible early American illustration of an opera scene by Richard W. Baldwin (1920 - 2012) . Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed.
Canvas, Oil
Claudine with Fan
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Naples, Florida
Claudine with Fan
Oil
Signed Original Drawing - Portrait of Lady 1939
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Stunning and utterly evocative of the stylish era it heralds from - the 1930's. Drawn with tremendous mastery of the subject, this hauntingly beautiful original drawing by the lead...
Carbon Pencil
Sold
H 9.65 in W 7.09 in D 0.2 in
Signed Original Painting - Two Girls Seated in Conversation
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Superb study of two young ladies seated in conversation. Possibly a working sketch for a larger painting to follow - or simply made on the spur of the moment by the artist, purely fo...
Gouache
Sold
H 31.5 in W 25.2 in D 1.58 in
The Basket Weaver - Large Oil Painting Signed & Catalogued
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Superb original oil painting by the very well listed and highly regarded French painter, Marcel Dyf (1899-1955). The painting is signed to the lower right and is registered in the ar...
Oil