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Henry Sandham Paintings: The 5 Most Famous, Through a Gallery's Eye
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 5 works by Henry Sandham in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Henry Sandham's most famous painting is Hunters Returning with their Spoil (1877), whose original hangs in the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Beacon Light, Saint John Harbour (1879) and Evening on the Wharf (1868) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 5 works by Henry Sandham in our catalog, the gallery presents the 5 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
1842 – 1910, Montreal
Most works: National Gallery of Canada
The gallery's top 10 Henry Sandham paintings
The museums that keep Henry Sandham's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Henry Sandham | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Gallery of Canada |
Ottawa | 4 | Hunters Returning with their Spoil, Beacon Light, Saint John Harbour, Hay Barge Crossing the Ice on the Saint Lawrence |
 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts |
Montreal | 1 | Evening on the Wharf |
Henry Sandham, one signature painting per decade
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Henry Sandham's paintings: the gallery answers
Which Henry Sandham painting is the most famous of all?Reveal the answer
Hunters Returning with their Spoil (1877), National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Beacon Light, Saint John Harbour (1879) and Evening on the Wharf (1868) come next.
How old was Henry Sandham on completing Hunters Returning with their Spoil?Reveal the answer
35 years old: Hunters Returning with their Spoil dates from 1877, and Henry Sandham was born in 1842.
How many works did Henry Sandham create?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 5 works by Henry Sandham, dated from 1868 to 1891.
Where do Henry Sandham's most famous originals hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa) and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Montreal). The museum table above lists them all.
When did Henry Sandham create the most famous paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1870s: 2 of the 5 works on this page were made then, Hunters Returning with their Spoil among them.
Which are Henry Sandham's earliest and latest famous works?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Evening on the Wharf (1868) and the latest Hay Barge Crossing the Ice on the Saint Lawrence (1891).
Which Henry Sandham originals does the National Gallery of Canada hold?Reveal the answer
Hunters Returning with their Spoil, Beacon Light, Saint John Harbour and Hay Barge Crossing the Ice on the Saint Lawrence: the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa holds 4 of the works on this page.
Henry Sandham: the artist
A Life in Visual Arts
Henry Sandham was a Canadian painter, illustrator, and photographer who began his artistic journey at a young age. He was employed in the photographic studio of William Notman in Montreal starting in 1864. After serving as an assistant to John Arthur Fraser, Sandham eventually became the head of the studio's art department. By 1877, he entered into a partnership with Notman, forming the studio known as Sandham & Notman. He was particularly noted for developing a technique for composite photographs, which involved mounting carefully posed individuals onto painted backgrounds. One such complex composition, featuring over 300 separate people, was recognized at the 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris.
Illustrations and Later Career
Sandham's career expanded into illustration, including work for Scribner's Monthly and assignments for The Century Magazine. His illustrations for a study of Mission Indians in Southern California eventually served as the basis for the novel Ramona. As a painter, his repertoire included portraits, such as one of John A. Macdonald, and historic works like his mural The Birth of Liberty.
After moving to Boston, he focused more heavily on fine art, exhibiting with the Boston Art Club and the American Watercolor Society of New York. His career later took him to London, where his works were shown at the Royal Academy of Arts. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.