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.

Artist: Charles E. Chambers

Charles E. ChambersOriginal "Food Will Win The War" vintage World War 1 poster, 1917

$1,100

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

Charles E. ChambersShe Answers The Question, 1920

$7,000

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

Charles E. Chambers“I was playing Chopin, with an ache in my heart.” Illustration for Harper’s Mag, 1918

$14,800Sale Price|20% Off

“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

Charles E. ChambersFamily Escape, 1917

$29,000

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

Charles E. Chambers“Wang the Tiger had his own port…” Story illustration for Sons by Pearl S. Buck, 1932

$2,900

“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

Charles E. ChambersCouple with Chauffeur

$19,500

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

Charles E. Chambers"Ringmaster", 1920

$19,000

"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

Charles E. ChambersStory illustration for “Appearance and Reality” by Somerset Maugham, 1934

$12,500

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

Ben Fenske"Mirror Summer Light" oil painting, woman brushing hair in bedroom, open window, 2018

$14,500

H 27.56 in W 35.43 in

"Mirror Summer Light" oil painting, woman brushing hair in bedroom, open window

By Ben Fenske

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

An oil on canvas painting of a woman sitting in front of a mirror, tending to her hair. Window open behind her admits natural light. Ben Fenske (b. 1978) although a native of Minnes...

Category

2010s Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Andrew WyethAndrew Wyeth, Early October, from The Four Seasons (after), 1962

$716Sale Price|20% Off

H 17 in W 13 in

Andrew Wyeth, Early October, from The Four Seasons (after)

By Andrew Wyeth

Located in Southampton, NY

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

Category

1960s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

Andrew WyethAndrew Wyeth, New Leaves, from The Four Seasons (after), 1962

$716Sale Price|20% Off

H 13 in W 17 in

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

James FetherolfAmerica! America!, 1973

$400

H 22 in W 29.8 in D 0.01 in

America! America!

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "America! America" is a color lithograph after noted American artist James Fetherolf, 1925-1994. It is hand signed at the lower rig...

Category

Late 20th Century American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

Louise CoupéOil On Canvas Still Life With Flowers And Japanese Satsuma Porcelain, ca 1930

$5,583

H 40.16 in W 27.96 in D 1.19 in

Oil On Canvas Still Life With Flowers And Japanese Satsuma Porcelain

Located in Gavere, BE

"Oil On Canvas Still Life With Flowers And Japanese Satsuma Porcelain" Painting very rich in colors with beautiful dimensions The whole sold with a sublime frame in perfect condition...

Category

1920s Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Elsa Sroka"Mr. Hitchcock" (2025) Expressionist Animal Portrait, Original Oil Painting, 2025

$7,200

H 24 in W 32 in

"Mr. Hitchcock" (2025) Expressionist Animal Portrait, Original Oil Painting

By Elsa Sroka

Located in Denver, CO

Elsa Sroka is a popular contemporary artist based in Colorado, celebrated for her wonderfully creative and evocative paintings. Her work blends elements of realism and abstraction, r...

Category

2010s Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Johannes Schiefer"Venetian Scene with Gondola" Colorful 20th Century Impressionist Oil Painting, Mid-20th Century

$3,000

H 16.5 in W 20.5 in D 1 in

"Venetian Scene with Gondola" Colorful 20th Century Impressionist Oil Painting

By Johannes Schiefer

Located in New York, NY

A charming Venetian scene with gondola oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Johanne Schiefer. This painting is a wonderful example of his work from the prime of his career. Here you see figures walking with gondolas and an abundance of color and life. The magic is being felt with all the magnificent details, as Schiefer captures the architecture of Venice so beautifully; you can feel the energy of the day and the excitement. The piece is signed by the artist lower left and it comes housed in a gold tone carved wood frame with hanging wire on verso ready to be displayed. Art measures 12 x 16 inches Frame measures 16.5 x 20.5 inches Johannes Schiefer was born in 1896 in the Netherlands, and quickly gained notoriety for his landscapes, still life’s and portraits. Schiefer won the Prix de Rome at the age of 19 and studied at the Düsseldorf Academy in Germany, and then moved to Paris where he continued his studies in art at the Beaux Arts, and later at the Villa Medici in Rome. He traveled to paint across Europe, primarily France and Italy and also Latin America. Like Picasso, Schiefer never permitted himself to be “type-cast” in a single monotonous style. If there is anything that typifies his work, it is his versatility, his deft handling of subdued tones to create a unique brilliance of light and color that stamps every painting with his own individuality. In February 1964, Ethel Kennedy...

Category

Mid-20th Century Impressionist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Large Painting Nude Female Oil on Canvas Early 20th Century Unsigned, circa 1930

$1,751

H 29.34 in W 36.23 in

Large Painting Nude Female Oil on Canvas Early 20th Century Unsigned

Located in Pistoia, IT

Large oil on canvas painting "Elongated Female Nude," early 20th century, unsigned. Visually and decoratively striking, this painting takes from French painting by the masters of the...

Category

1920s Art Deco Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Thomas Hart Benton'Plowing It Under' — WPA Era American Regionalism, 1934

$2,550

H 9.44 in W 11.88 in

'Plowing It Under' — WPA Era American Regionalism

By Thomas Hart Benton

Located in Myrtle Beach, SC

Thomas Hart Benton, 'Goin' Home', lithograph, 1937, edition 250, Fath 14. Signed in pencil. Signed in the stone, lower right. A fine, richly-inked impression, on off-white, wove pape...

Category

1930s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Lithograph

Antonio CamarcaFigure - Original Oil on Cardboard by Antonio Camarca - Mid-20th Century, Mid-20th Century

$335

H 13.59 in W 9.45 in D 0.04 in

Figure - Original Oil on Cardboard by Antonio Camarca - Mid-20th Century

By Antonio Camarca

Located in Roma, IT

Figure is an original drawing in oil on cardboard, realized by the Italian artist Antonio Camarca (Rome 1920-?). The state of preservation of the artwork is aged. With the stam on ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

Paul Sample"The Slope Near the Bridge" Paul Sample, Mid-Century, American Snowy Landscape, 1950

$900

H 16.25 in W 20.25 in

"The Slope Near the Bridge" Paul Sample, Mid-Century, American Snowy Landscape

By Paul Sample

Located in New York, NY

Paul Sample The Slope Near the Bridge, 1950 Signed in pencil lower left Lithograph on wove paper Image 8 15/16 x 12 15/16 inches Sheet 11 5/16 x 15 1/16 inches From the edition of 25...

Category

1950s American Realist Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Vintage Trompe L'Oeil Kitchen Cabinet Framed Still Life Original Oil Painting, 1950

$795

H 41 in W 18 in D 2 in

Vintage Trompe L'Oeil Kitchen Cabinet Framed Still Life Original Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage realist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 18 by 41 inches overall, and 16 by 39 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.

Category

1930s Modern Charles E. Chambers Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Previously Available Items

Charles E. ChambersElderly Couple

Sold

H 32 in W 36 in

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

Charles E. ChambersCouple Parting on Porch in Snow, 1915

Sold

H 30 in W 21 in

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.