Joseph Edward Southall 1861-1944

Southall was the leader of the Birmingham Group of Artist-Craftsmen—one of the last outposts of Romanticism in the visual arts, and an important link between the later Pre-Raphaelites and the turn of the century Slade Symbolists.

He dedicated himself to the use of tempera inspired by early Italian renaissance art. In 1901 Southall was a founder member of the Society of Painters in Tempera, whose members also included Walter Crane and Roger Fry. As well as aiming to restore morality to art, the group yearned for a ‘purity of vision and form’ that was lacking in the more popular Impressionist movement. 

Some of the artist’s most celebrated works were painted around the Fowey Estuary, where Southall stayed regularly across several decades. Many are in public collections including The Old Seaport in Manchester Art Gallery. 

We are actively seeking consignments of work by Joseph Southall. Please contact us with details or to enquire after available works by this artist.