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" Chiberta in Southern France Post-Impressionist Oil on Canvas 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
$21,151
Mauldre au debut de Printemps - Post Impressionist Landscape Oil by Marcel Dyf
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed oil on canvas riverscape circa 1950 by French post impressionist painter Marcel Dyf. The work depicts the Mauldre - a long river in north-central France which is an estuary fo...
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
$32,750
Pleine Floraison
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 28.75 x 23.75 inches Framed size: 37 x 32 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
Un Bouqet D'Ete Dans Un Vase En Verre
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas, Canvas size: 21.75 x 18 inches Framed size: 29 x 25.5 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
"Le Bassin des Tuileries a Paris" Marcel Dyf, Impressionist Garden Fountain
By Marcel Dyf
Located in New York, NY
Marcel Dyf Le Bassin des Tuileries a Paris, 1950 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Provenance Private Collection, Louisville, Kentucky Marcel Dyf, born Marcel Dr...
Canvas, Oil
L'Oise a Lille Adam (Ile De France)
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas Canvas size: 18 x 21.5 inches Framed: 26.5 x 30.25 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
$42,166
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
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...
Oil, Canvas
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
$27,838
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 Oil Painting on Canvas, Post-Impressionist, Signed, Framed
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Stratford-Upon-Avon, GB
Marcel Dyf, France (1899-1985) Claudine Medium: Oil on canvas Framed size: 29.5 x 26 Inches Unframed size: 21.5 x 18 Inches Signature: Signed Provenance: Private collection, UK ...
Oil, Canvas
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
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
"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
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
$2,000
H 15.5 in W 18 in D 2.5 in
"Fishing by the Harbor" Impressionist Oil Painting on Canvas w Figures & Boats
Located in New York, NY
This tranquil scene by the Trouville Harbor is a remarkable display of Michel Jamart's true passion for outdoor genre paintings. A wonderfully rich boats scene executed in the 20th C...
Canvas, Oil
$2,500
H 26 in W 30 in D 1 in
"Paris, Montparnasse" French Impressionist Street Scene Oil Painting on Canvas
By Anatol Bouchet
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by French artist, Anatol Bouchet. Bouchet was an French painter known for his colorful cityscapes depicting the times of his generation. This paint...
Canvas, Oil
Henriette Chabot with Peonies
By Jacques Emile Blanche
Located in Mc Lean, VA
This painting was owned by Comte Robert de Montesquiou (1855–1921), Paris Literature: Jane Roberts, Jacques-Émile Blanche (2012), pg. 47 (color illus.), p. 191. Included as no. R...
Canvas, Oil
$3,081
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
$5,250
H 48 in W 36 in D 2 in
Hello Sunshine by Nancy Franke, Impressionist Still Life Floral Painting
By Nancy Franke
Located in Atlanta, GA
Hello Sunshine by Nancy Franke is a luminous contemporary floral still life painting in oil on canvas, measuring 48 x 36 inches. This original artwork features a joyful bouquet of pa...
Canvas, Oil
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 56.25 in W 44.25 in D 3 in
"Elegance on the Boulevard Near the Eiffel Tower" Parisian Scene Oil Painting
By Gregory Sievers
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by American artist Gregory Sievers, capturing a romantic and atmospheric scene of the boulevard near the Champs-Élysées with the Eiffel Tower under...
Canvas, Oil
$3,488
H 11.42 in W 14.57 in
Impressionist Winter Landscape Painting by Lake Vättern – Artist Erik Tryggelin
By Erik Tryggelin
Located in Stockholm, SE
Erik Tryggelin (1878–1962) Sweden Winter Shore, Vadstena, 1940–1950 signed and dated lower right E. Tryggelin inscribed Vadstena 8/12 1940–50 oil on canvas laid on masonite unframe...
Canvas, Masonite, Oil
$525
H 16 in W 13 in D 1 in
Violin by Jacques Endzel Figurative Expressionist Oil on canvas painting
By Jacques Endzel
Located in Atlanta, GA
Step into a world of vintage allure with our exquisite figurative painting featuring a captivating woman adorned in a shimmering silver dress, gracefully seated in a chair with her e...
Canvas, Oil
$2,500
H 23.5 in W 28 in D 1.5 in
"Parisian Street Scene by Champs Elysees" Impressionist Oil Painting on Canvas
By Georges Gerbier
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful oil on canvas painting by Georges Gerbier. He was a French painter known for colorfully rich cityscapes depicting the times of her generation. This painting is a wonderfu...
Canvas, Oil
"Wild cherry" Oil cm. 51 x 59 1996
By Georgij Moroz
Located in Torino, IT
Wedding list, Wedding gift, Wedding,White,Wild Cherry,Russian,impressionism Published in a monographic catalogue Georgij MOROZ (Dneprodzerzinsk, Ucraina, 1937 - St. Petersburg, 201...
Canvas, Oil
$5,000
H 31 in W 27 in D 2.5 in
"Le Marché à Martigues" Colorful Impressionist view of Market Scene Oil Painting
By André Roubaud
Located in New York, NY
A strong Post-Impressionist oil on canvas painting by André Roubaud depicting the Market in Martigues in France, executed in wonderful colors and gestural brush strokes. With magnifi...
Canvas, Oil
$6,000
H 22 in W 25 in D 2 in
"Porte Saint-Denis" Post-Impressionist Parisian Street Scene Oil on Canvas
By Henri Alexis Schaeffer
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Henri Alexis Schaeffer. This painting is a wonderful example of his work from the prime o...
Canvas, Oil
Periode De Recolte
By Marcel Dyf
Located in Belgravia, London, London
Oil on canvas, Canvas size: 23.5 x 28.75 inches Framed size: 32.25 x 37.25 inches Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
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
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