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Yvonne Canu Art

French, 1921-2007

French artist Yvonne Canu was transfixed by Pointillism, a technique that was pioneered in the 19th century by Georges Seurat, and devoted her career to mastering it. Over half a century after Seurat’s death, Canu gravitated towards French Postimpressionism and was pivotal in carrying Pointillism into the modern era. 

Born in Morocco, Canu studied in Paris at the École des Arts Decoratifs until the start of WWII. Following the war, she met French painter Élisée Maclet and French-Japanese artist Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita who were influential in her exploration of Impressionist art. She also studied Cubism at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière alongside prolific French artist Ossip Zadkine

Seeing Seurat’s masterpiece A Sunday on La Grande Jatte ultimately set Canu on a path to understand the complexities of his practice. She investigated Seurat’s use of complementary color and studied the work of French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul, who in the 19th century worked as the director of the famous Parisian tapestry factory, Gobelins Manufactory. In her work, she experimented with dabbing colors in such a way as to allow the viewer to perceive the greater tableau from afar.

Through this approach, Canu championed a colorful approach to water scenes including seascapes, harbors and rivers. Critics have drawn comparisons between Canu’s work and other 20th-century French artists who expanded on the innovative artistic ideas established in the 19th century.

Find original Yvonne Canu paintings and wall decorations on 1stDibs.

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Artist: Yvonne Canu
Les Arbres Oil Painting, Pointillist Style, Framed, 20th Century
Les Arbres Oil Painting, Pointillist Style, Framed, 20th Century

Les Arbres Oil Painting, Pointillist Style, Framed, 20th Century

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New York, NY

Signed lower right: Canu Provenance: Private Collection, US Yvonne Canu was influenced by the Pointillists school and very strongly so by Georges Seurat and by Sunday Afternoon on ...

Category

19th Century Pointillist Yvonne Canu Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Repos dans un champs de coquelicots - Pointillist Landscape Oil by Yvonne Canu
Repos dans un champs de coquelicots - Pointillist Landscape Oil by Yvonne Canu

Repos dans un champs de coquelicots - Pointillist Landscape Oil by Yvonne Canu

By Yvonne Canu

Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Signed pointillist oil on panel figures in landscape by French neo-impressionist painter Yvonne Canu. This stunning piece depicts a couple resting under a parasol in a field of wildf...

Category

1960s Pointillist Yvonne Canu Art

Materials

Oil, Board

La Conciergerie - Neo Impressionist Pointillist Riverscape Oil by Yvonne Canu
La Conciergerie - Neo Impressionist Pointillist Riverscape Oil by Yvonne Canu

La Conciergerie - Neo Impressionist Pointillist Riverscape Oil by Yvonne Canu

By Yvonne Canu

Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Signed pointillist oil on canvas landscape by French Neo-Impressionist painter Yvonne Canu. The work depicts a view of revellers on a boat travelling along the River Seine in Paris, ...

Category

1980s Impressionist Yvonne Canu Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Preparations for the Regattas by Yvonne Canu
Preparations for the Regattas by Yvonne Canu

Preparations for the Regattas by Yvonne Canu

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New Orleans, LA

Yvonne Canu 1921-2008 French Preparations for the Regattas (Préparations aux Régates) Signed "Canu" (lower right) Titled "Préparations aux Régates" (en verso) Oil on canvas A lum...

Category

20th Century Post-Impressionist Yvonne Canu Art

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Le Marche a Grimaud

Le Marche a Grimaud

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New York, NY

Yvonne Canu (born 1930) is a French artist renowned for her abstract and geometric painting, often focusing on the interaction between color, form, and light. She emerged in the mid-...

Category

1950s Pointillist Yvonne Canu Art

Materials

Oil

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St. Tropez

Yvonne CanuSt. Tropez, 1921 - 2008

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H 26.63 in W 30.5 in D 3 in

St. Tropez

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Located in New Orleans, LA

Yvonne Canu 1921-2008 French St. Tropez Signed "Canu" (lower right) Signed and titled "St. Tropez / y. Canu" (en verso) Oil on canvas The picturesque French Riviera is presented ...

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Douarnenez

Yvonne CanuDouarnenez, 1921-2008

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Douarnenez

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New Orleans, LA

Yvonne Canu 1921-2008 French Douarnenez Signed "Canu" (lower right) Signed and titled "Douarnenez / y. Canu" (en verso) Oil on canvas A picturesque harbor in the French town of Douarnenez is the subject of this extraordinary oil on canvas by the French Post-Impressionist Yvonne Canu. The 20th-century painter's pointillist creations are distinctly modern, rendered with painstakingly precise dots of pure color that brilliantly blend together to form a cohesive work of art. This oil exemplifies her distinctive style, which displays the influence of the Post-Impressionist icon Georges Seurat in both its technique and choice of subject - though this work displays a more vibrant color palette, it is reminiscent of Seurat's Entrance to the Port of Honfleur. Canu's use of minuscule points of pigment and bright colors results in this stunning scene full of light and motion. Born in Morocco in 1921, Yvonne Canu traveled to Paris to study at the reputable École des Arts Decoratifs. Following the First World War, she entered the circle of the French-Japanese painter...

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14 juillet, Montmartre (July 14, Montmartre)
14 juillet, Montmartre (July 14, Montmartre)

14 juillet, Montmartre (July 14, Montmartre)

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New Orleans, LA

A crowd celebrates Bastille Day in the Montmartre arrondissement of Paris in this brilliantly lit and vibrantly colored oil on canvas by the French Post-Impressionist Yvonne Canu. The 20th-century painter's pointillist creations are distinctly modern, rendered with painstakingly precise dots of pure color that brilliantly blend together to form a cohesive work of art. This oil exemplifies her distinctive style, which displays the influence of the Post-Impressionist icon Georges Seurat in both its technique and choice of subject — a modern leisure scene. Canu's use of minuscule points of pigment and bright colors results in this stunning scene full of vitality and light. Born in Morocco in 1921, Yvonne Canu traveled to Paris to study at the reputable École des Arts Decoratifs. Following the First World War, she entered the circle of the French-Japanese painter...

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20th Century Post-Impressionist Yvonne Canu Art

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Le Port de Collioure
Le Port de Collioure

Le Port de Collioure

By Yvonne Canu

Located in New Orleans, LA

The port of the southern French town of Collioure is the subject of this vibrant oil on canvas by the French Post-Impressionist Yvonne Canu. The 20th-century painter's pointillist cr...

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Vue du Port, St Tropez
Vue du Port, St Tropez

Yvonne CanuVue du Port, St Tropez, 1980

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H 30 in W 39 in D 2 in

Vue du Port, St Tropez

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Located in Wiscasett, ME

Oil on canvas, signed lower right. Canvas measurement: 21" x 29" and with frame measures 30" x 39". Provenance: Purchased from Hilde Gerst Gallery in NYC in 1990, Private Collection...

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Yvonne Canu art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Yvonne Canu art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Yvonne Canu in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Post-Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Yvonne Canu art, so small editions measuring 37 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of H.M. Saffer II, Ben Black, and Casey Vogt. Yvonne Canu art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $17,000 and tops out at $25,534, while the average work can sell for $21,267.

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