Marius Woulfart

Marius Woulfart, who was born in Paris in 1905, is a versatile artist who worked as a painter, engraver, lithographer, illustrator and theater designer. His roots are Russian-Jewish and his artistic heritage is impressive.

His artistic passion began in his family, particularly with his father, Max Wulfart, who was born in 1876 in Frauenburg, Russia. Max graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Odessa and made a name for himself as a painter in Tsarist Russia. In 1903, he moved to Paris to follow the artistic pulse of the Belle Époque. His second son Marius was born there in 1905, two years after the family arrived in France.

The story of the Wulfart family is like many others whose Cyrillic names were inaccurately transcribed when they immigrated to France. Max Wulfart decided to keep the correct name of his family, and so Marius was correctly named Wulfart and not Wulfart. In 1927, the entire family was naturalized and received French citizenship.

Max Wulfart started from scratch in France and attended classes at the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. His works were regularly exhibited in Parisian salons and he was even awarded the Legion of Honor.

Marius felt a close bond with his father and was fascinated by his father’s artistic expression. He decided to become a painter to further develop his father’s vision and he received his training directly in his father’s workshop.

Marius Woulfart’s artistic career took place mainly in the south of France. He established his studio first in Cannes and later in Grasse, but his works found a wide audience throughout France and international venues such as England, Canada and Florida.

His artistic presence was highly visible in Paris, as he exhibited regularly at the Salon d’Automne and had personal exhibitions at prestigious galleries such as the Galerie du Vieux Colombier, the Galerie des Champs Elysées and the Galerie Georges V. His works are part of the collections of the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris.

Marius found a loyal following in the south of France in particular. He liked to present his works in the warm light of the region and regularly took part in the Menton Biennale. Solo exhibitions in cities such as Nice, Grasse, Bordeaux, Antibes and Cannes were always well received. Even the princely family of Monaco, including Florence Gould, were among his collectors.

Marius Woulfart’s style is imbued with poetry and his compositions are always carefully thought out to express harmony and serenity. Despite a broad and bold brushstroke and a rich visual language, his art remains firmly anchored in its time and timeless at the same time. He died in Grasse in 1991.