Joseph Bail was born on January 22, 1862 in Limonest in the Rhone region of France. His father, Jean-Antoine Bail, was a genre painter influenced by the Dutch masters, and he focused his attention on depicting scenes from domestic life. Bail received his early training from his father and later studied in the studios of Jean Léon Gêrome and Carolus-Durand, two of the leading figures of the Parisian Academy of Fine Arts. Bail's father instilled in him a respect for the works of Jean-Siméon Chardin and the Dutch masters, and encouraged him to view their works at the Louvre.

Bail debuted at the Salon of 1878, alongside both his father and brother, Frank, with Nature Morte (Still Life). The still life tradition in France, especially the ...