BIOGRAPHY - Marcel Dyf (1899 - 1985)

Marcel Dyf, whose real name was Marcel Dreyfus, was born in Paris on October 7, 1899.  While he showed a talent for art at an early age, he began his adult life as an engineer, but by the age of 23 he became a professional artist.  A self-taught artist, Dyf’s influence and inspiration came from the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists; among his favorite was Pierre A. Renoir.

Dyf set up a studio in Arles in 1922 and began his career as a landscape artist – painting views of the surrounding countryside.  His work began to attract attention from collectors and dealers and it was not long before he began exhibiting at the Salon des Artists Français, Salon d'Autumn and Salon des Tulleries.

By 1935 Dyf had returned to Paris and during World War II he joined the Resistance and was based in Correze.  By 1950 he had set up a studio in Cannes and a few years later met a young girl by the name of Claudine.  Claudine was 19 at the time, some 36 years younger than Marcel, and in 1965 after posing for him for many years the two married.  The spend many years together, traveling the world in search of subject matter and each summer they would spend time in their home in Brittany.

By this time Dyf had become known for his impressionistic landscapes, still lives and portraits and his paintings had been exhibited throughout the world, with shows in England, America, Canada, Germany and Algeria.  Today he is considered one of the last of the true Impressionist artists. 

Dyf died on September 16, 1985.