Joseph Bail was born on January 22, 1862 in Limonest in the Rhone region of France. His father, Jean-Antoine Bail, was a trained genre painter who was heavily influenced by the Dutch masters. It is clear that Joseph, as well as his brother Frank, followed in the fathers footsteps. Joseph's initial artistic training began with his father, instilling in him a respect for the eighteenth-century French painters. As all three members of the family were artists and the Bail family represents one of the few associations of family painters of the Realist tradition remaining during the latter half of the nineteenth century. They could often be found exhibiting alongside one another at the annual Salons. After beginning his training under his father, Bail began studying, presumably between 1879 and 1880, in the atelier of Jean-Leon Gerfme. Just after his sixteenth birthday, Bail debuted at the Salon of 1878, alongside both his father and brother, with Nature Morte (Still Life). The still life tradition figured as an important element of Bail's work, and many of his genre scenes also show still life arrangements within the picture. Bail regularly submitted to the Salons and towards the end of his careers was 'hors concours', or exempt from having to submit his works for jury approval. He received awards in 1885 (Honorable Mention), 1886 (third-class medal), 1887 (second-class medal), 1889 Exposition Universelle (silver medal), 1900 Exposition Universelle (gold medal), and 1902 (medal of honor). He was also named Chevalier de la Legion d' Honneur in 1900, and was a member of the Societ'e des Artistes Francais. He died November 26, 1921.
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