the collector's folio

Charles Henry Sims Most Popular Paintings

The 25 artworks by Charles Henry Sims our visitors ask for most, ranked by popularity and presented one by one, with the specification and the price of each hand-painted reproduction.

Edition 2026 · 25 artworks Each artwork painted to order
Linen canvas · Certificate of authenticity · Delivered worldwide Charles Henry Sims · 1873 – 1928

Sacrifice (1918) by Charles Henry Sims

1918 · Canadian War Museum, Ottawa · original 416.0 x 409.0cm

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #1: Sacrifice

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 1 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$78131 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Bacchanalia – Charles Henry Sims

1900 · Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg · original 48.0 x 41.0cm

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #2: Bacchanalia

Color Palette: Neutrals

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 2 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$20630 × 34 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$23641 × 48 cm Commission at original size

A Spiritual Idea

Color Palette: Dark

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 3 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18126 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

The Bathers

Discover 'The Bathers' by Charles Henry Sims – an evocative oil painting of nude figures in a serene landscape. Explore Impressionistic brushwork & symbolic beauty.

Art Movement: Impressionism

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 4 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$25635 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Portrait Of A Young Man, Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #5: Portrait Of A Young Man

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 5 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18131 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

My Pain Beneath Thy Sheltering Hand, Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #6: My Pain Beneath Thy Sheltering Hand

Color Palette: Dark

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 6 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18126 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

Study Of A Dead Rail by Charles Henry Sims

Fitzwilliam Museum

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #7: Study Of A Dead Rail

Charles Henry Sims’ "Study Of A Dead Rail" (c. 1920) is a poignant nature study featuring a realistic depiction of a dead rail bird. Explore this evocative piece's detailed artistry and historical significance.

Art Movement: Contemporary Realism
Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 7 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18136 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

The Fairies Ran Away With Their Clothes

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 8 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18136 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Matthew Hay, Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #9: Matthew Hay

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 9 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18129 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Alan Gordon Macwhirter by Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #10: Alan Gordon Macwhirter

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 10 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18128 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

Country Scene, Forest Trees

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 11 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18135 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

The Little Faun

Discover "The Little Faun" by Charles Henry Sims – a captivating Impressionist oil painting of a serene garden scene. Explore this beautiful artwork's pastel colors & idyllic charm.

Art Movement: Impressionism
Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 12 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18135 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Introduction Of Lady Astor As The First Woman Mp by Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #13: Introduction Of Lady Astor As The First Woman Mp

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 13 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18133 × 30 cm Commission this artwork

Alfred Fredwin

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 14 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18129 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

What Are These To Me And You Who Deeply Drink Of Wine'

Experience Charles Sims’ evocative oil painting "What Are These To Me And You..." A captivating 19th-century work featuring intimate figures & rich colors. Explore a unique artistic style at WahooArt.com.

Art Movement: Other
Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 15 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18138 × 26 cm Commission this artwork

Wartime

Color Palette: Neutrals

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 16 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18131 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Bbc - Your Paintings - The Wood Beyond The World

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 17 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18138 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Crowds Of Small Souls In Flame

Explore 'Crowds of Small Souls In Flame' by Charles Henry Sims – a vibrant oil painting capturing chaotic energy & emotion. Discover this outsider art masterpiece!

Art Movement: Other
Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 18 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18127 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

I Am The Abyss And I Am Light

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 19 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18136 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Sacrifice, Charles Henry Sims

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #20: Sacrifice

Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 20 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18132 × 31 cm Commission this artwork

Aspiration

Experience "Aspiration" by Charles Henry Sims: A dramatic Expressionist crucifixion painting. Explore swirling lines, intense colors & impasto texture – a unique spiritual masterpiece.

Art Movement: Expressionism
Color Palette: Earthy

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 21 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18127 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Spiritual Idea

Explore Charles Henry Sims’ "Spiritual Idea" – a dynamic Expressionist painting bursting with color & movement. Discover its chaotic energy, loose brushstrokes & symbolic depth.

Art Movement: Expressionism
Color Palette: Dark

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 22 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18138 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Seated Child

Color Palette: Dark

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 23 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18128 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Mary Elizabeth Menzies

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 24 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$18128 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

Charles Henry Sims, The little faun (1905)

1905 · Fitzwilliam Museum · original 51.1 x 61.3cm

View the most popular artwork of Charles Henry Sims ranked #25: The little faun

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 25 of 69 artworks by Charles Henry Sims
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$23135 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$29661 × 51 cm Commission at original size

The artist

Charles Henry Sims

1873 – 1928

Quick facts

Corpus themesedwardian elegance
Movementsimpressionism, expressionism
Born1873, Islington, United Kingdom
Art periodModern
Topics exploredwomen, children, landscape
Lifespan55 years
Top-ranked workSacrifice
Copyright statusPublic domain

Biography

A Life Shrouded in Light and Shadow: The Enigmatic World of Charles Henry Sims

Charles Henry Sims, born in Islington, London, in 1873, remains a compelling figure in British art—a painter whose journey traversed the elegance of Edwardian society to the unsettling depths of personal turmoil and ultimately, outsider artistry. His life was marked by both conventional success and profound tragedy, factors that indelibly shaped his artistic vision. Initially destined for a commercial career within his family’s drapery business, Sims defied expectations, pursuing formal training at South Kensington College of Art before honing his skills in Paris at the prestigious Académie Julian. This early exposure to European artistic currents laid the foundation for his initial acclaim as a portraitist and landscape painter, establishing him within the established art world. However, beneath this veneer of conventional achievement lay a sensibility that would increasingly diverge from accepted norms, particularly after experiencing immense personal loss during World War I.

From Edwardian Elegance to Surreal Visions

Sims’ early work reflects the prevailing aesthetic tastes of the Edwardian era—refined portraits and idyllic landscapes characterized by delicate brushwork and a harmonious palette. He quickly gained recognition, exhibiting at the Royal Academy from 1894 onwards and becoming a sought-after portraitist among London society. Yet, even within these seemingly conventional pieces, hints of his unique perspective began to emerge – a subtle psychological depth in his portraits, an ethereal quality in his landscapes that hinted at something beyond mere representation. The tragic death of his son during the First World War proved to be a watershed moment. This devastating loss triggered a profound shift in Sims’ artistic trajectory, propelling him towards increasingly introspective and unconventional themes. He began exploring religious subjects with a distinctly personal and often unsettling interpretation, moving away from representational accuracy toward a more symbolic and surreal style. His later paintings are filled with haunting imagery, dreamlike compositions, and an intense spiritual yearning that set him apart from his contemporaries.

A Controversial Keeper and the ‘Spiritual Ideas’ Series

Sims' career reached a complex juncture in 1920 when he was appointed Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools—a prestigious position responsible for overseeing artistic education. However, this appointment proved to be fraught with difficulty. His increasingly idiosyncratic style clashed with the conservative tastes of the establishment, and his unconventional teaching methods alienated many students. Simultaneously, his personal life spiraled into turmoil as he became estranged from his wife and children. This period coincided with the creation of his most controversial works: the ‘Spiritual Ideas’ series. These paintings, imbued with a deeply personal symbolism and unsettling imagery, were met with widespread criticism and incomprehension. While some viewers recognized their profound emotional depth and artistic innovation, others dismissed them as bizarre and disturbing. The rejection of these works by the Academy contributed to his resignation in 1926, leaving him increasingly isolated and disillusioned.

Legacy and Recognition: An Outsider’s Perspective

The final years of Charles Henry Sims' life were marked by increasing isolation and despair. In 1928, he tragically took his own life at St. Boswells, Scotland. Despite the controversy surrounding his later work during his lifetime, Sims has since been recognized as a significant figure in British art—a precursor to the Outsider Art movement. His willingness to explore deeply personal themes, his rejection of conventional artistic norms, and his unique visual language resonate with artists and viewers today. Institutions like the Tate Gallery, the British Museum, and English Heritage hold examples of his work, ensuring his legacy endures. Iris, Sunshine And Wind, and The Bathers are just a few examples of paintings that showcase his evolving style and captivating use of light and color. His contribution to the Palace of Westminster’s “Building of Britain” series, though initially criticized, now stands as a testament to his bold artistic vision. Charles Henry Sims' story serves as a poignant reminder of the complex relationship between art, life, and the enduring power of individual expression. He was an artist who dared to venture beyond the boundaries of convention, leaving behind a body of work that continues to challenge, intrigue, and inspire.

Questions & Answers

Is there a complete list of Charles Henry Sims's artworks?

Every work by Charles Henry Sims on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.

What other names is Charles Henry Sims known by?

Charles Henry Sims is also known as Charles Sims, John Sims Reeves.

How is Charles Henry Sims's career divided into periods?

The Chronicle of Charles Henry Sims is a scroll-driven timeline that presents the artist's works in chronological order, grouped into career-period chapters.

By the WahooArt.com Editorial Team Updated Oct. 21, 2026

Collector's quiz

Charles Henry Sims initially began his career in what field before pursuing art?
Where did Charles Henry Sims study art in Paris?
What significant position did Charles Henry Sims hold at the Royal Academy?
How did the death of his son impact Charles Henry Sims' artistic style?
What was the subject of the fresco Sims was commissioned to paint for St Stephen's Hall?

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