Nationality: Scottish

The Scottish painter Arthur Melville encouraged Cadell's drawing skills and eventually convinced his parents to send him to Paris, where he encountered the Post-Impressionists. He returned to Scotland in 1909, continuing his painting career after World War I.

Cadell exhibited regularly at the Scottish Royal Academy until 1931, and was elected as a member in 1936.

He participated in exhibitions of groups of Scottish painters:
London

1932		Paintings of six Scottish Artists
1939		Three Scottish Painters

Paris

1924		Modern Scottish Painters
1931		Scottish Painters

Edinburgh

1949		exhitibition at the Royal Academy of Scotland
1952		Four Scottish Colourists