Timeline

He began his artistic career under the guidance of his father, Antoine-Jean Bail (1830-1918), followed by the Gérome and the great teacher Carolus-Duran. Bail had a precocious talent and Elisabeth Hardouin-Fugier praised him in her book , French Still Life Painters of the 19th Century writing, '...already at the tender age of 16 Bail showed an unrivalled virtuosity in his skill at depicting inanimate objects'. His first success was in 1878, at the age of 16, when he began to exhibit at the Paris Salon. He painted many genre and animal subjects, but it was for his interior scenes and still life compositions that Bail was renowned. His remarkable ability to capture the effects of either lamplight or daylight in his paintings led to considerable rewards, and he won numerous medals and honours between 1886 and 1902.

Museums: Lyon, Montreal, Mulhouse, Nancy, Saintes & Paris (Musee d'Art Moderne and Petit Palais)

He won numerous awards and medals including a silver medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, a gold medal at the 1900 Exposition Universelle, and a medal of honour in 1902. The artist became a member of the Societe des Artistes Français, and in 1900, was named Chevalier de Legion d’Honneur.