Skip to main content

Charles E. Chambers Art

American, 1883-1941

The work of American realist painter and illustrator Charles Edward Chambers is characterized by such an exceptional mastery of color and composition that, in his day, his refined figurative paintings may have fooled collectors into thinking he was a graduate of the Académie des Beaux-Arts

Born in 1883 in Ottumwa, Iowa, Chambers studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League of New York under Canadian-American painter George Bridgman. Another of his teachers was illustrator Fanny Munsell (later his wife), who influenced his style and technique. Munsell secured illustration work for a range of magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Women’s Home Companion, before she died in 1920.

Chambers learned to modify his painting technique so that his work was primed for reproduction on a mass scale. He gained recognition as a classical figurative painter and illustrator during World War I when, in 1917, he illustrated a well-known poster for the U.S. Food Administration titled Food Will Win The War. He was also a regular contributor as an illustrator at the time to Harper’s Monthly and created covers for Redbook magazine.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Chambers kept busy with editorial assignments and advertising campaigns. While it’s true that Art Nouveau posters were plastered everywhere along the streets of Paris during the early years of the Belle Époque, poster art continued to remain very relevant in the Art Deco years, too. While creating illustrations for authors such as Pearl Buck, W. Somerset Maugham, Faith Baldwin and Louis Bromfield, Chambers earned advertising commissions from the decades’ prominent companies and brands. These included painting portraits of famous musicians Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alfred Cortot and Ignacy Jan Paderewski for Steinway & Sons and designing billboard ads and posters for cigarette company Chesterfield and soap manufacturer Palmolive.

Today, Chambers’s works remain favorites among collectors of vintage 20th-century art.

Find original Charles Edward Chambers paintings and prints on 1stDibs.

to
1
7
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
8
2
2
2
5
3
8
7
5
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7
7
6
6
1
8
10,734
2,826
2,495
1,414
3
8
Artist: Charles E. Chambers
Original "Food Will Win The War" vintage World War 1 poster
Original "Food Will Win The War" vintage World War 1 poster

Original "Food Will Win The War" vintage World War 1 poster

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Spokane, WA

Original World War 1 vintage poster: Food Will Wn the War. Arhival linen backed. PRINTER: Rusling Wood Litho., New York Bright and in good condition. There is some marks down the left side of the poster, possible ink from when the poster was printed. This poster calls on immigrants to do their part in the war effort. It depicts recent immigrants standing near a sailing ship with the Statue of Liberty and a rainbow stretched across the New York City skyline in the background. The text reads: You came here seeking Freedom. You must now help preserve it. Wheat is needed by the allies. Waste nothing. The generosity and compassion of the American people and the great agricultural resources of the North American continent would be called upon... Twenty million Americans signed pledges of membership in the Food Administration...

Category

1910s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

“I was playing Chopin, with an ache in my heart.” Illustration for Harper’s Mag
“I was playing Chopin, with an ache in my heart.” Illustration for Harper’s Mag

“I was playing Chopin, with an ache in my heart.” Illustration for Harper’s Mag

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Story illustration for “The High Cost of Conscience” by Beatrice Witt Ravenel for Harper’s Magazine, published January 1919. Year: 1918 Dimensions: 30.00" x 21.00", Framed 35.5" x ...

Category

20th Century Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

She Answers The Question
She Answers The Question

She Answers The Question

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Image of two men standing in front of woman seated at desk. Charles Edward Chambers was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, studied at the Chicago Art Institute, and later the Art Students Lea...

Category

1920s Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Story illustration for “Appearance and Reality” by Somerset Maugham
Story illustration for “Appearance and Reality” by Somerset Maugham

Story illustration for “Appearance and Reality” by Somerset Maugham

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Story illustration for “Appearance and Reality” by W. Somerset Maugham, published in Cosmopolitan, November 1934, pages 22-23. Described as "A masterfully witty story of manners and...

Category

1930s Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Wang the Tiger had his own port…” Story illustration for Sons by Pearl S. Buck
“Wang the Tiger had his own port…” Story illustration for Sons by Pearl S. Buck

“Wang the Tiger had his own port…” Story illustration for Sons by Pearl S. Buck

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Date: 1932 Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 24.00" x 33.00" Signature: Signed Lower Left Story illustration for “Sons” by Pearl S. Buck, published in Cosmopolitan, October 1932, pages 66-67. "Sons" serves as the poignant sequel to Buck's story The Good Earth...

Category

1930s Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Family Escape
Family Escape

Family Escape

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Date: 1917 Medium: Oil on Board Dimensions: 32.00" x 21.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right Story illustration: Group of people gathered around seated old woman. “Isn't it quite as i...

Category

1910s Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Couple with Chauffeur
Couple with Chauffeur

Couple with Chauffeur

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Couple in a car with a Chauffeur Signed lower left. Charles Edward Chambers was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, studied at the Chicago Art Institute, and later the Art Students League in ...

Category

20th Century Other Art Style Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Ringmaster"
"Ringmaster"

"Ringmaster"

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Story illustration, image of man on couch, woman in chair writing Charles Edward Chambers was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, studied at the Chicago Art Institute, and later the Art Students League in New York with George Bridgman. His illustrations were extremely skillful, marked by subtlety of value and color. He early learned to adapt his method of painting for the best possible reproduction, and to insure fidelity of printing, he often followed the assignments through to the hands of the engraver who made the plates. Chambers divided his time almost equally between editorial and advertising assignments. Among his advertising commissions was an outstanding series of portraits of musicians for Steinway & Sons. His distinctive illustrations for billboards, notably for Chesterfield and Palmolive Soap...

Category

1920s Other Art Style Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Related Items
Hydrofoil, Photorealist Lithograph by Raymond Loewy
Hydrofoil, Photorealist Lithograph by Raymond Loewy

Hydrofoil, Photorealist Lithograph by Raymond Loewy

By Raymond Loewy

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Raymond Loewy, American (1893 - 1986) Title: Hydrofoil Year: 1978 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 300 Image Size: 17 x 24 inches Size: 21 in. x 28 ...

Category

1970s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

1943 War Period Textured Still Life Of Table With Oranges And Bottle
1943 War Period Textured Still Life Of Table With Oranges And Bottle

1943 War Period Textured Still Life Of Table With Oranges And Bottle

Located in Frederiksberg C, DK

A charming and decorative composition painted in 1943 by Danish artist Evan Wulff. This stilleben painting unveils a rustic table adorned simply with a wine bottle and two oranges. T...

Category

1940s Post-War Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

Italian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic
Italian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic

Italian 18th Century Oval Religious Oil on Canvas Painting with Saint Dominic

By Francesco de Mura

Located in Firenze, IT

This beautiful Italian 18th Century old masters oil painting on oval canvas with giltwood frame is attributed to Solimena and features a religious scene. In this splendid oval-shaped painting are depicted Saint Dominic...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“October Morning Matunuck, c. 1925” Frank Convers Mathewson Rhode Island Oil
“October Morning Matunuck, c. 1925” Frank Convers Mathewson Rhode Island Oil

“October Morning Matunuck, c. 1925” Frank Convers Mathewson Rhode Island Oil

Located in Yardley, PA

About this work: “Birches and Huckleberry, October Morning Matunuck, c. 1925” by Frank Convers Mathewson (American, 1862-1941). A stunningly beautiful autumn view of Matunuck, Rhode...

Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Circle Teniers, Flemish Art, Peasants smoking and drinking in a Tavern Interior
Circle Teniers, Flemish Art, Peasants smoking and drinking in a Tavern Interior

Circle Teniers, Flemish Art, Peasants smoking and drinking in a Tavern Interior

By David Teniers the Younger

Located in Greven, DE

Circle or Follower of David Teniers, Peasant in a Tavern Inn, drinking and smoking. Oil on canvas, Framed: 39 x 47 cm. Typical Flemish Baroque Interior...

Category

17th Century Baroque Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Bermuda Coast” Henrietta Dunn Mears American Impressionist Oil on Board Signed
“Bermuda Coast” Henrietta Dunn Mears American Impressionist Oil on Board Signed

“Bermuda Coast” Henrietta Dunn Mears American Impressionist Oil on Board Signed

By Henrietta Dunn Mears

Located in Yardley, PA

A vibrant Bermuda seascape depicting the rocky shoreline with turquoise waters breaking against sunlit boulders beneath a sweeping tree. Mears uses bold, textured brushstrokes and a ...

Category

20th Century American Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Still Life with Grapes, Realist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1880
Still Life with Grapes, Realist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1880

Still Life with Grapes, Realist Oil on Canvas, Framed, Circa 1880

By Morston Constantine Ream

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Morston Constantine Ream (American, 1840-1898) Grapes Oil on canvas, 10 x 12 inches Framed: 22 x 24 inches (approx.) Signed at lower right: “Morston Ream” The still-life painter Mor...

Category

1880s Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Sierra Heights” by Paul Grimm Sierra Nevada Mountains California Landscape Oil
“Sierra Heights” by Paul Grimm Sierra Nevada Mountains California Landscape Oil

“Sierra Heights” by Paul Grimm Sierra Nevada Mountains California Landscape Oil

By Paul Grimm

Located in Yardley, PA

About this work: “Sierra Heights, 1971” by Paul Grimm (1892-1974). A beautiful view of the Sierra Nevada mountains by Grimm, one of the most beloved painters of the California lands...

Category

1970s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Ernst Louizor ( 1938-2011 ) oil painting on board
Ernst Louizor ( 1938-2011 ) oil painting on board

Ernst Louizor ( 1938-2011 ) oil painting on board

By Ernst Louizor

Located in Hoddesdon, GB

Ernst Louizor (1938-2011) a beautiful oil painting on board. This vibrant artwork depicts a bustling village scene, elegantly mounted in its original carved wooden frame from Haiti. ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

“Manchester-by-the-Sea” Ann Sophia Towne Darrah, 19th C. Female Artist American
“Manchester-by-the-Sea” Ann Sophia Towne Darrah, 19th C. Female Artist American

“Manchester-by-the-Sea” Ann Sophia Towne Darrah, 19th C. Female Artist American

Located in Yardley, PA

About this work: “Manchester-by-the-Sea” by Ann Sophia Towne Darrah (American, 1819-1881). Darrah was among the earliest American women to establish a professional reputation as a p...

Category

Late 19th Century Hudson River School Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Andrew Wyeth, New Leaves, from The Four Seasons (after)
Andrew Wyeth, New Leaves, from The Four Seasons (after)

Andrew Wyeth, New Leaves, from The Four Seasons (after)

By Andrew Wyeth

Located in Southampton, NY

This exquisite lithograph after Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009), titled New Leaves, originates from the distinguished 1962 folio The Four Seasons: Paintings and Drawings by Andrew Wyeth. Pu...

Category

1960s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

Previously Available Items
Elderly Couple
Elderly Couple

Elderly Couple

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Signature: Signed Lower Left Framed: 36.00" x 41.00"

Category

20th Century Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Couple Parting on Porch in Snow

Couple Parting on Porch in Snow

By Charles E. Chambers

Located in Fort Washington, PA

Date: 1915 Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 30.00" x 21.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right Couple parting on porch in snow. “They had formed a little code of leave-taking” Story illustration: “The Turmoil”, author: Booth Tarkington...

Category

1910s Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Charles E. Chambers art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Charles E. Chambers art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Charles E. Chambers in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Not every interior allows for large Charles E. Chambers art, so small editions measuring 20 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Coby Whitmore, Henry Soulen, and Benton Clark. Charles E. Chambers art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,100 and tops out at $29,000, while the average work can sell for $15,500.

Artists Similar to Charles E. Chambers