Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Chantrey Bequest
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/charles-sims-1944" aria-label="More by Charles Sims" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Charles Sims</a>
Wood beyond World
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1913
actions: expressive
adults
baby
Bible: New Testament
child
children
classical myths: gods and heroes
dance
emotions, concepts and ideas
forest
group
groups
holding hands
idyll
lake
landscape
leisure and pastimes
male
music and entertainment
nudes
people
pine
religion and belief
Three Graces
universal concepts
Virgin Mary
water: inland
woman
<p>The Wood beyond the World represents an idyllic scene celebrating the springtide and optimism of life. It is reminiscent of both Botticelli’s Primavera 1478 and allegories by the French Symbolist painter Puvis de Chavannes.</p><p>The chastity of youth is suggested by the nudity of the dancing children and reinforced by the allusions to pagan and Christian traditions. The group of three female figures on the left are posed as the three Graces from classical mythology, while the central woman holding a child is presented in the dress and attitude of a Madonna.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
19 April 2004 – 11 June 2006
2006-06-11
19 April 2004 – 11 June 2006
2006-06-11
2004-04-19
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2004-04-19
Cult of Youth
Collection based display
23 February 2024 – 30 June 2024
2024-06-30
23 February 2024 – 30 June 2024
2024-06-30
2024-02-23
Musei di San Domenico (Forlì, Italy)
2024-02-23
Pre-Raphaelites: A Modern Renaissance
Loan-out
The Wood beyond the World
support: 1016 × 1441 mm
frame: 1155 × 1560 × 76 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1913
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<span class="text14">The Wood beyond the World</span><span class="text0">
    represents an idyllic scene celebrating the springtide and optimism of      life. It is reminiscent of both Botticelli’s </span><span class="text14">Primavera </span><span class="text0">1478 and <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/allegory" title="Glossary definition for 'Allegory'"><span>allegories</span></a> by the      French <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/symbolism" title="Glossary definition for 'Symbolism'"><span>Symbolist</span></a> painter Puvis de Chavannes. </span>
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<span class="text0">
<br/> </span>
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<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text0">The chastity of youth is suggested by the nudity of the      dancing children and reinforced by the allusions to pagan and Christian      traditions. The group of three female figures on the left are posed as the      three Graces from classical mythology, while the central woman holding a      child  is presented in the dress and attitude of  a Madonna. </span>
</div>

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2004-08-18T00:00:00
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<p><b>N02933</b> THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD 1913</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘Sims’ b.r.
<br/>Canvas, 40×56 3/4 (101·5×144).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1913.
<br/><i>Exh:</i>
R.A., 1913 (5); R.A., <i>Late Members</i>, winter 1933 (453).
<br/><i>Lit:</i>
Sims, 1934, pp.81–2, 115–16.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Studio</i>, LIX, June 1913, p.29.</p>
<p>In a note (<i>op. cit.</i>, pp.115–16) for 14 February 1913 the artist wrote in his studio journal that ‘“The Wood beyond the World” could have been drawn more carefully and carried further in <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/t/tempera" title="Glossary definition for 'Tempera'"><span>tempera</span></a>, with a saving of time and some advantage to the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/f/form" title="Glossary definition for 'Form'"><span>form</span></a>.’</p>
<p>Like many of his <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> ‘The Wood beyond the World’ represents an idyllic, timeless scene and there are allusions to pagan and religious themes through the inclusion of three female figures grouped in the traditional Three Graces pose, and in the foreground, a mother and child in the attire and pose of a Madonna.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
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<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-09-23T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: expressive adults baby Bible: New Testament child children classical myths: gods and heroes dance emotions, concepts and ideas forest group groups holding hands idyll lake landscape leisure and pastimes male music and entertainment nudes people pine religion and belief Three Graces universal concepts Virgin Mary water: inland woman