Marie-Jeanne van Hövell tot Westerflier is mostly known for her timeless, serene black and white photographs of winter scenes of Amsterdam, the interiors of Amsterdam canal houses, and intimate portraits. She published her praised books Amsterdam Winterscapes and Hidden Beauty and for the last couple of years Marie-Jeanne has also allowed colours in her work, seen in her staged still lifes, the Contemplation series. These still lifes have a painting-like quality.
She uses an analogue Hasselbladcamera and the light available, which results in atmospheric black and white images that always contain an element of mystery. Her photographs have a completely unique style and character, and make the apparently invisible visible.
Another series in colour is At the Window, in which she introduces models, more or less anonymous, sometimes only a silhouette, creating an unreal atmosphere. She creates human still lifes which evoke associations with the women painted by Johannes Vermeer (1632- 1675).
During her years of photography Marie-Jeanne has discovered what touches her deeply – the layer under the surface, stillness and utter simplicity. She has developed her own distinct style. She likes timeless photographs which provide space for one’s own imagination, thoughts and feelings.