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Marcel Dyf
Claudine

Name: Claudine
Brand: Marcel Dyf

$36,500List Price

About the Item

Marcel Dyf painted still-life scenes of flowers, gardens and pastoral scenes, but his true passion lay in portraiture. In 1954, Dyf met model Claudine Godat. At 19, Claudine was 36 years younger than Dyf. Her enchanting beauty and vivacity brought vigor and vitality into the artist's life and he started painting her tirelessly in all imaginable poses and situations. She became his muse. In 1956, the couple married, buying a 16th century hunting lodge located at Bois d’Arcy near Versailles. This painting depicts Claudine sitting in a garden chair. Bow of her sun hat, one-shoulder white blouse, discrete cleavage and cherry red lips tell the story of youth. In the manner of old impressionist masters, Dyf's irregular brushstrokes of green, brown, and yellow create a rich array of flowers that fill the canvas and surround Claudine's body. Yellow pigment in the background picks up the color of her skirt. Oil on Canvas. Original. Excellent condition. Signed lower left. Canvas size: 23.5x29 inches Framed size: 33x37.5 inches PROVENANCE: The gallery provides certificate of authentication and a free independent appraisal every year. Marcel Dyf was born in 1899 in Paris. He grew up in Normandy, and started a career as an engineer, but soon decided to become a painter. In 1922, he moved to Arles, where he was trained as a painter and set up a studio. Over a long and fruitful period, he established himself among the most gifted and original successors to the Impressionists. Dyf accomplished trough light, color and values, not only the warmth and power of his subject matter, but a creation linking in perfect harmony. Following in the footsteps of the great plein air painters Monet and Renoir, Dyf’s style and atmosphere are entirely individualistic, dramatically emphasized by forceful yet fluid brushstrokes that suggest the presence and movement of nature. His true passion lay in portraiture. In the midst of his blossoming career, Dyf met and married Claudine Godat who became the focus of his attention and ultimately his trademark. He died in 1985 in Bois-d'Arcy (France).

Creator:
Marcel Dyf (1899-1985, French)
Dimensions:
Height: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Width: 29 in (73.66 cm)
More Editions & Sizes:
"33x37.5" framedPrice: $36,500
Medium:
Canvas,Oil
Movement & Style:
Impressionist
Period:
Early 20th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
La Jolla, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU75432255243

Shop All Marcel Dyf

Marcel Dyf

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.

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Marcel DyfClaudine

About the Item

Marcel Dyf

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Marcel Dyf
Claudine