Search the Collection

Joseph Southall

(1861-1944), Artist and craftsman

Joseph Edward Southall

Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter in 3 portraits
Artist of 1 portrait
Southall's main body of work comprises highly crafted paintings of mythological and romantic subjects, though he was also an outstanding portrait and landscape artist. A visit to Italy in 1883 proved critical, the influence of early Italian painting determining Southall to work in egg tempera. His drawings from the trip were admired by John Ruskin who 'said he had never seen architecture better drawn'. Although he lived mostly in Birmingham, Southall exhibited internationally in his lifetime, notably in a successful solo show at the Galerie George Petit in Paris in 1910. A memorial exhibition of his work was held in Birmingham in 1945 and he was the subject of major retrospective exhibitions in 1980 and 2005.

Tell us More

List Thumbnail

Joseph Southall; Anna Elizabeth Southall

by Joseph Edward Southall
egg tempera on linen, 1911
NPG 7020

Joseph Southall

by Lafayette
half-plate nitrate negative, 30 December 1931
NPG x47987

Joseph Southall

by Lafayette
half-plate nitrate negative, 30 December 1931
NPG x47988

Related People

Anna Elizabeth Southall (wife)

Groups

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this person? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

* What can you tell us? (Help)

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citation (Help)

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Denied Granted

* Your name (Why?)

* Email (Why?)

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.

Thematic collections

Tell us more

Can you tell us more about this person?

Joseph Southall