Renée Stotijn Renée Stotijn (1940-2020) was a Dutch artist, based in Amsterdam. She grew up in a very artistic family and started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil.
After high school she followed intense classes at the Rijks Academy of Amsterdam, where her exceptional talent was noticed rapidly. She was provided special access to a private atelier (loge) where she dedicated herself to make portraits.
Besides drawing and painting, she also worked many years at the restoration department of the Rijksmuseum. In the meanwhile, she gave tours as a professional guide in several museums, including the Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and she worked as a painter in an atelier for theatre decors.
Renée encountered many adversities in her life. The relationship with her mother was bad. After the separation of her parents, she decided to wander with her father, her soulmate, for years through the city, in search of a place to stay.
After they settled down her father suddenly passed away on an early age. At the age of 32 Renée herself was confronted with breast cancer. After an intense and traumatic surgery, she was never able again to use her arm completely.
However, she continued making artworks until the end of her life.
Renée passed away in 2020 and left a legacy of beautiful artworks, as well as two daughters, who now are trying to keep alive the beauty of their beloved mother.
