Marshall was born in Leeds but worked mainly from addresses in London, despite travels elsewhere to study and paint (primarily in watercolour). In 1868 he obtained a Travel Grant to view architecture in Britain and abroad, and also studied architectural drawing with Questel in Paris.  He exhibited at the Paris Salons in 1889 and 1906, but primarily exhibited with the Old Watercolour Society in London.

Marshall became the Professor of Landscape Painting at Queen's College, London.  Any artistic work that he achieved locally in Cornwall is not documented, although a mention in Whybrow suggests that he might have visited the marine painter Tollemache prior to St Ives becoming the destination for artistic spirits from about 1880 onwards.