Fred Hall (1860-1948) – Zig-Zags on Exmoor

Description

Fred Hall biography

Fred Hall was a renowned English artist whose work bridged realism and impressionism, painting with both empathy and humour. A key figure in the Newlyn School – a group of plein air painters based in Cornwall in the late 19th century – Hall earned acclaim for his sensitive rural scenes, atmospheric landscapes, and biting caricatures. Though his early career was shaped in the artistic circles of Newlyn, it was on Exmoor, in the quiet village of Porlock, that he discovered a new direction and an unexpected muse.

Born in Stillington, Yorkshire, Hall studied at the Lincoln School of Art and later under Charles Verlat at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts, where he formed formative friendships with Leghe Suthers, Norman Garstin and Walter Osborne. These connections would later draw him to Cornwall and into the orbit of the Newlyn School.

Hall arrived in Newlyn in 1884, embracing the community’s commitment to painting the everyday lives of working people with honesty and light. However, his style gradually shifted from detailed social realism toward a more impressionistic sensibility. Seeking fresh scenery and new inspiration, Hall moved to Porlock in 1888, sharing a studio on the high street with fellow Newlyn artist Leghe Suthers. Together, they became the heart of a modest artistic colony on the edge of Exmoor.

While the remoteness of Porlock limited commercial opportunities, the surrounding countryside offered Hall a rich canvas. He explored the dramatic coastlines, the moorland light, and the spectacle of local life. One particular theme stood out: the grand tradition of stag hunting on Exmoor. The Devon and Somerset Staghounds regularly drew large crowds from high society, and Hall, with his keen eye and sharp wit, found fertile ground for caricature.

His ink and watercolour work Zig-Zags on Exmoor captures this side of Hall’s talent brilliantly. The piece is lively, humorous, cryptic, and full of character—depicting the chaos, charm, and theatricality of the hunt with affectionate satire. Far from a throwaway sketch, Zig-Zags on Exmoor exemplifies the unique place Hall occupied within the Newlyn tradition: equal parts observer, participant, and commentator.

Hall’s caricatures became widely admired. A rare photograph of his studio – formerly the village schoolhouse – shows its walls lined with silhouettes and sketches of local figures and hunting personalities, pasted up like trophies of a different kind. These works, brimming with insight and irreverence, culminated in a London exhibition at The Rembrandt Gallery in 1890. The Pall Mall Gazette, in its review, labelled Hall “a terror in the neighbourhood” and declared his future in caricature as bright as his painting career.

Though later in life he moved to Berkshire with his family, Hall continued to paint and exhibit, earning honours such as a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1912. His work is now held in collections across the UK, including Penlee House in Penzance and regional galleries in Leeds, Bradford, and Northampton.

Fred Hall remains a distinctive voice in English art: a painter of light and place, but also a sharp chronicler of human foibles. In Zig-Zags on Exmoor, we see the full force of his personality – his wit, his craft, and his affection for the lives and rituals of the countryside.

Available works by Modern British artists.

Fred Hall works in UK public collections.