Born in Jaroměř, Bohemia, Josef Šíma studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague before relocating to Paris in the 1920s. He became a central figure in the Parisian avant-garde, co-founding the group Le Grand Jeu and maintaining close ties with the Surrealist circle, which significantly influenced his development as a painter.

His work is characterized by a focus on light, space, and metaphysical themes, often rendered through a distinctive, luminous palette. His landscapes frequently dissolve into abstract, atmospheric compositions that explore the intersection of nature and the subconscious, utilizing oil on canvas to achieve a sense of depth and transcendence.

Šíma remains a significant figure in the secondary market for Modern art. Recent auction results, including a 1959 oil on canvas that significantly exceeded its estimate at Artcurial in 2026, demonstrate his enduring recognition among collectors of 20th-century European modernism.