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The 22 Most Famous Paul Bodifée Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 23 works by Paul Bodifée in our catalogue
In short
Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers (1897) is the Paul Bodifée painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Museum De Waag, Deventer. After it, the eye goes to Child Portrait of Oscar Bodifée (1905) and Peasant Woman Carrying Mandrake (1905). Among the 23 works of Paul Bodifée in our catalog, these 22 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1866 – 1938, Deventer
Most works: Museum De Waag
Top 10 paintings by Paul Bodifée, through the gallery's eye
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Paul Bodifée's famous paintings, numbers 11 to 22
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Cornfields1900 · Museum De Waag
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Rear of houses on Smedenstraat, seen from Sijzenbaan1903 · Museum De Waag
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Winter Cityscape with Boats in the Harbor1910 · Museum De Waag
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Farmyard with Blooming Fruit Tree and Water Well1910 · Museum De Waag
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Landscape near Nijmegen1912 · Museum De Waag
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Front of Farm with Trees and Dog Kennel1915 · Museum De Waag
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Farm with Flowering Border1915 · Museum De Waag
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Fruit Orchard1915 · Museum De Waag
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Alley between Stadhuis left and Landshuis right, viewed towards Grote Kerkhof1915 · Museum De Waag
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Forest Landscape1915 · Museum De Waag
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Trees with Water Feature1915 · Museum De Waag
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View of Deventer at Evening1922 · Museum De Waag
Cornfields1900 · Museum De Waag
12Rear of houses on Smedenstraat, seen from Sijzenbaan1903 · Museum De Waag
13Winter Cityscape with Boats in the Harbor1910 · Museum De Waag
14Farmyard with Blooming Fruit Tree and Water Well1910 · Museum De Waag
15Landscape near Nijmegen1912 · Museum De Waag
16Front of Farm with Trees and Dog Kennel1915 · Museum De Waag
17Farm with Flowering Border1915 · Museum De Waag
18Fruit Orchard1915 · Museum De Waag
19Alley between Stadhuis left and Landshuis right, viewed towards Grote Kerkhof1915 · Museum De Waag
20Forest Landscape1915 · Museum De Waag
21Trees with Water Feature1915 · Museum De Waag
22View of Deventer at Evening1922 · Museum De Waag
The museums that keep Paul Bodifée's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Paul Bodifée | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Museum De Waag |
Deventer | 22 | Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers, Child Portrait of Oscar Bodifée, Peasant Woman Carrying Mandrake |
Paul Bodifée across the decades: one unique original for each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Paul Bodifée's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Paul Bodifée?Reveal the answer
Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers (1897), Museum De Waag, Deventer. Child Portrait of Oscar Bodifée (1905) and Peasant Woman Carrying Mandrake (1905) come next.
At what age did Paul Bodifée create Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers?Reveal the answer
31 years old: Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers dates from 1897, and Paul Bodifée was born in 1866.
Which ten paintings by Paul Bodifée are the most famous?Reveal the answer
Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers, Child Portrait of Oscar Bodifée, Peasant Woman Carrying Mandrake, Portrait of Girls with Blue Bow in the Hair, Autumn Landscape with Water and Row of Trees, Landscape with Farm, Trees and Pool of Water, Landscape with Village Church, Cornfield with Farm in the Distance, Farm with Water Well and Farmwoman and Puddle in Overijssel. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
How many works by Paul Bodifée are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 23 works by Paul Bodifée, dated from 1890 to 1922.
Where can the most famous Paul Bodifée originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Museum De Waag (Deventer). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did Paul Bodifée create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1910s: 10 of the 22 works on this page were made then, Portrait of Girls with Blue Bow in the Hair among them.
Which famous Paul Bodifée painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Autumn Landscape with Water and Row of Trees (1890) and the latest View of Deventer at Evening (1922).
What Paul Bodifée originals can I see at the Museum De Waag?Reveal the answer
Young Lady Amidst Wildflowers, Child Portrait of Oscar Bodifée and Peasant Woman Carrying Mandrake: the Museum De Waag, Deventer holds 22 of the works on this page.
Paul Bodifée: a portrait of the artist
A Life Rooted in Deventer
Johannes Petrus Paulus Bodifée, known to many as Paul, lived a life deeply connected to the landscapes of his home. Born in 1866 in Deventer, Holland, he was the son of Matthias Joseph Bodifée and Elizabeth Hendriks. His path toward art began with formal studies at the Normaalschool voor Tekenonderwijs and later at the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten, where he refined his skills in both painting and engraving. While his training took him to Amsterdam, his heart remained tied to the provinces of Overijssel.
After completing his education, Bodifée established an atelier in Nieuwer-Amstel before returning to Deventer. There, he balanced his creative pursuits with a role as a drawing teacher. In 1896, he married Rosa Elisa Leeuw, the daughter of a prominent architect from Nijmegen. Together, they raised four children, and their family life was often marked by travels through the countryside. This movement through the natural world provided the quiet observations that would later define his work.
The Spirit of the Landscape
Bodifée’s artistic approach was shaped by the traditions of the Haagse School and the Deventer School. He possessed a particular talent for capturing the atmosphere of the Salland region, a place characterized by its dry, sandy soil. His eyes were drawn to the subtle shifts in light over water scenes, tree landscapes, and the quiet corners of old Deventer neighborhoods. He found beauty in the simple presence of a peasant figure or the way blossoms appeared on trees in a farmyard.
His subject matter often focused on specific, localized environments:
- The water-filled landscapes of Giethoorn.
- The sandy stretches of the Overijssel province.
- City views and old corners within Deventer.
In works such as Field of flowers, he used oil on paper to capture delicate natural details. He also worked with oil on canvas and panel, often focusing on the interplay between birch trees and river views. His ability to translate the atmosphere of a specific place into paint allowed him to connect with prestigious groups like Arti et Amicitiae and Pulchri studio in Den Haag.
A Lasting Presence
Though he lived through a period of significant change, Bodifée remained focused on the enduring qualities of the Dutch landscape. His work as both a painter and a printmaker allowed him to explore texture and light through different mediums. By documenting the landscapes of Salland and the streets of Deventer, he left behind a visual record of the regions he loved.
His legacy is held in collections such as Museum De Waag, where pieces like Jongedame temidden van veldbloemen allow modern viewers to see the world through his eyes. He passed away in 1938, leaving a body of work that remains a quiet, steady reflection of the Dutch countryside.