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The 32 Most Famous Charles John Holmes Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 33 works by Charles John Holmes in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Charles John Holmes left, the most famous is A Warehouse (1921), in the collection of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham. Close behind it come The Mythen, Switzerland (1903) and View in Gower (1904). Our catalog holds 33 works by Charles John Holmes; the gallery has kept the 32 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1868 – 1936
Impressionism
Most works: Harris Museum - Art Gallery
Charles John Holmes's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
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The Charles John Holmes selection continues, 11 to 32
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Whernside1917
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Dufton Pike from Backstone Edge1916
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Scholar Gipsy1917 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
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Murton Fell1917 · The Hepworth Wakefield
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The Burning Kiln1914
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Keswick Mountains1921
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Farmyard, Winter1921 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
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Watendlath Tarn, near Keswick1919 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
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Grenfell Crag1919
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A Two Year Old Steel Works Erected during the War for Messrs. Steel, Peech Tozer, Ltd, Phoenix Works, Rotherham1918
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Awaiting Zeppelins Sandringham, January 19151919
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The Eden, near Lazonby1926
23Farmyard at Soberton, Surrey1923 · Fitzwilliam College
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Clearing Mists, Ribblesdale1929
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The Yellow Wall, Blackburn1932 · Walker Art Gallery
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Approach to Rome1935
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A Moorland Road
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Helvellyn and Cachedicam
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The Head of Wensleydale, Yorkshire
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Penrith BeaconGrundy Art Gallery
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Industrial LandscapeLeeds Art Gallery
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Seven Chimneys
Whernside1917
12Dufton Pike from Backstone Edge1916
13Scholar Gipsy1917 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
14Murton Fell1917 · The Hepworth Wakefield
15The Burning Kiln1914
16Keswick Mountains1921
17Farmyard, Winter1921 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
18Watendlath Tarn, near Keswick1919 · Harris Museum - Art Gallery
19Grenfell Crag1919
20A Two Year Old Steel Works Erected during the War for Messrs. Steel, Peech Tozer, Ltd, Phoenix Works, Rotherham1918
21Awaiting Zeppelins Sandringham, January 19151919
22The Eden, near Lazonby1926
23Farmyard at Soberton, Surrey1923 · Fitzwilliam College
24Clearing Mists, Ribblesdale1929
25The Yellow Wall, Blackburn1932 · Walker Art Gallery
26Approach to Rome1935
27A Moorland Road
28Helvellyn and Cachedicam
29The Head of Wensleydale, Yorkshire
30Penrith BeaconGrundy Art Gallery
31Industrial LandscapeLeeds Art Gallery
32Seven Chimneys
The subjects that held Charles John Holmes's eye
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
Rural landscape 3 works
British countryside 3 works
Landscape 3 works
Mountains 2 works
The museums that keep Charles John Holmes's originals
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Charles John Holmes | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Harris Museum - Art Gallery |
Preston | 4 | Langdale Pikes, Scholar Gipsy, Farmyard, Winter |
 Walker Art Gallery |
Liverpool | 2 | View in Gower, The Yellow Wall, Blackburn |
 The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology |
Oxford | 2 | Coniston Old Man from Levers Water, Saddleback from the South west |
 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
Birmingham | 1 | A Warehouse |
 The Stanley - Audrey Burton Gallery |
Leeds | 1 | Summer on the Fells |
 The Hepworth Wakefield |
Wakefield | 1 | Murton Fell |
 Fitzwilliam College |
Cambridge | 1 | Farmyard at Soberton, Surrey |
 Grundy Art Gallery |
Blackpool | 1 | Penrith Beacon |
Charles John Holmes decade by decade: the original that defines each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Collectors' questions about Charles John Holmes's paintings
Which work is Charles John Holmes most famous for?Reveal the answer
A Warehouse (1921), Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham. The Mythen, Switzerland (1903) and View in Gower (1904) come next.
What age was Charles John Holmes when A Warehouse was made?Reveal the answer
53 years old: A Warehouse dates from 1921, and Charles John Holmes was born in 1868.
What are the ten most famous Charles John Holmes paintings?Reveal the answer
A Warehouse, The Mythen, Switzerland, View in Gower, Biasca, The Red Ruin, Coniston Old Man from Levers Water, Summer on the Fells, Saddleback from the South west, Bude Canal and Langdale Pikes. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
How many paintings did Charles John Holmes leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 33 works by Charles John Holmes, dated from 1903 to 1935.
In which museums do Charles John Holmes's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Harris Museum - Art Gallery (Preston), Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool) and The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology (Oxford). The museum table above lists them all.
In which years did Charles John Holmes paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer
In 1910s: 14 of the 32 works on this page were made then, Coniston Old Man from Levers Water among them.
What are the first and the last famous originals of Charles John Holmes?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is The Mythen, Switzerland (1903) and the latest Approach to Rome (1935).
Which subjects did Charles John Holmes choose most often?Reveal the answer
Rural landscape (3), British countryside (3) and Landscape (3), across the 32 works on this page.
To which art movement does Charles John Holmes belong?Reveal the answer
Impressionism and Contemporary realism, judging by the originals on this page.
Which Charles John Holmes works hang at the Harris Museum - Art Gallery?Reveal the answer
Langdale Pikes, Scholar Gipsy and Farmyard, Winter: the Harris Museum - Art Gallery, Preston holds 4 of the works on this page.
Charles John Holmes: life and work
early life and education
charles john holmes, a multifaceted figure in the art world, was born on november 11, 1868, in preston, lancashire. he attended eton college from 1883 and later attained a scholarship to brasenose college, oxford in 1887.career highlights
holmes' career is marked by several notable positions:- slade professor of fine art at oxford university (1904-1910)
- co-editor of the burlington magazine (1904-1909)
- director of the national portrait gallery (1909-1916)
- director of the national gallery (1916-1928)
artistic contributions and style
holmes' writing on art combined theory with practice, making him an expert on the painting techniques of the old masters. his own artistic style, though not widely documented, reflects his deep understanding of various art movements.- the ribble, near clitheroe (before 1936), a drawing and watercolor piece showcasing his skill in capturing landscapes.
- steelworks (1918), another drawing and watercolor work, demonstrates his ability to portray industrial scenes with finesse.
- view more artworks by charles john holmes on OriginalUniqueArt.com
legacy and impact
charles john holmes left an indelible mark on the art world, not only through his own creations but also through his contributions to the national gallery and his role in shaping the art historical narrative of his time.- explore more about charles john holmes' life and work on wikipedia
- discover the national gallery's collection, featuring works by charles john holmes and other notable artists, on OriginalUniqueArt.com
- learn more about the national portrait gallery, where holmes served as director, on OriginalUniqueArt.com