Bale was a landscape and figurative artist, who lived in London. He studied at South Kensington and Florence and painted both in oils and watercolours and was Art Director for Cassells from 1882 and the first Chairman of the Imperial Arts League. He exhibited from 1867 and was elected A.N.W.S. and N.W.S. in 1876 and 1879. He was also a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours.