What is Studio Marie Cecile Thijs?

Updated

Studio Marie Cecile Thijs (mariececilethijs.com) is the official website of Dutch artist Marie Cécile Thijs, a photographer whose work spans portraits of people, animals, flowers, and food. The site presents her portfolio and credentials, including the fact that her works are held in the collections of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Lisser Museum LAM, Museum Rotterdam, Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Richmond, and the National Museum of History and Art Luxembourg. It also notes her recognition as Artist of the Year 2024.

Who is the artist behind the site?

Marie Cécile Thijs is a Dutch photographer. Her studio's own description frames her practice around a "magnificent and surreal world," with a signature style applied across every subject she photographs. The site positions her as the sole creative force behind the work, and the collection list above serves as the primary evidence of her standing in the art world.

What kind of photography does she make?

Her work is best understood through three recurring traits:

  • Surreal staging — the images are described as surreal, meaning they go beyond straightforward documentation of a subject.
  • A poetic, tranquil atmosphere — the studio describes the mood as poetic and calm rather than dramatic or confrontational.
  • Stillness as the core device — the site states plainly that "stillness is key," which suggests composition and quiet are central to how each image works.

Subject matter

The portfolio covers four broad categories:

Category What to expect
People Portraits bearing her specific signature style
Animals Animal subjects treated with the same surreal, still approach
Flowers Floral still lifes
Food Food imagery, likely arranged rather than documentary

The through-line is that all four categories are treated consistently — the signature is described as applying across subjects, not just to one genre.

Why does the museum list matter?

For anyone evaluating the artist, the collection list is the most concrete signal on the site. Being included in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, among others, indicates institutional recognition rather than only commercial or editorial work. The Artist of the Year 2024 heading on the homepage adds a current marker of that recognition.

What the site does and doesn't tell you

The site functions as a portfolio and artist profile. Based on the available page content, it does not publish pricing, print availability, licensing terms, or contact/purchase instructions. If you are looking to buy a work, commission a shoot, or license an image, you would need to look for a contact route on the site itself rather than expect those details to be stated on the homepage.

When this site is useful to you

  • You want to see the portfolio of a specific Dutch photographer working in a surreal, still, poetic register.
  • You are checking her exhibition and collection credentials before citing or referencing her work.
  • You are researching contemporary photography that treats people, animals, flowers, and food within one consistent visual language.

If you need transactional information — prices, editions, shipping — treat this as a starting point and verify details directly with the studio.