Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-16
DEATH OF AN ARTIST.
A Portrait Painter Dies ia His
Studio from Starvation.
From tho New York Times, 9tb.I


Studio from Starvation.
From the New York Times, 9th.l
Mr.. Jacob D. Blondell, once a
well known and highly respected
portrait painter, was found dead
yesterday morning on a sofa in his
studio, on the upper floor of No.
SOC Broadway. He had long suf-
fered from hemorrhoids, and hav-
ing of late been unable to OBJ
tain proper nourishment, his sys-
tenn had become weakened, and
among those who knew him best it
is generally believed that he died
from, the effects of starvation. Mr..
Blondell was born in this city, Of
Irish parents, about the year 1917,
and was consequently, at the time
of his death, sixty years old. He
did not tegin the study of art until
be had reached the age of thirty,
and then he took lessons from Mr..
William Page, confning himself
almost entirely to the study Of por-
traiture. Previous to the rebellion
he attracted some celebrity as a
portrait painter, and was generally
regarded as a man of means. He
has many warm personal friends
and patrons, among whom was
General di Cesnola, the late Com
modore Rogers, the Livingstones,
Murrays, and other wcll-known
New York families. Mr.. Blondell
was particularly remarkable for the
fine effect of his coloring, some Of
his female heads being superb
Soon after the close of the war he
began the painting of fancy heads,
the features of which were drawn
from imagination, and which OBJ
tained very ready sale. AT one
time he attempted the production
Of small figure subjects, but being
deficient in the study Of modern
art, and never having visited any
Of the foreign schools, he did not
succeed. He was very jealous
in his nature, and was also
of an irascicle temperament
which at times had a tendency tC
draw away from him that sympa
thy which would otherwise have
been extended by his friends anC
brother artists. His drawing was
somewhat defective, and when pho
tography was introduced he waI
unable to keep pace with the times
the demand for fine and bold draw
ing being ever on the increase. II,
, then took to drinking, his patron
age began to fall off about the sam,
, time, and he became rapidly re
duced in circumstances. Then HI
, seemed to lose all the greatly,
, genius that he was possessed Of
and during the past three years h,
has had barely enough work to keel
: him alive. Notwithstanding thi
I. fact he continued drinking, an,
, would often, after having borrowed
0 money from his fellow artists fo
i the purpose Of getting something
Y to eat, 90 out and squander it TO
: liquor. He had a very severe at
e tack of hemorrhoids about Il yea
o ago, and would, had he not bee
a discovered, have died in his studio
|. a physician, who examined hin
4 SAYING that he was in a state 9
s complete exhaustion resulting fror
Y starvation. The fact that he woulC
i, after receiving assistance from othe
d artists, 90 among their friends an
If talk Of them in a derogatory mar
: ner, tended to keep them aloC
1t from him, and on this account h
i frequently suffered. He was see
le during the latter part of last weeI
ID and seemed to be in a very wea
n and exhausted condition, and tn
Is gave rise to grave suspicious. Ye
n. terday morning Mr.. Miller, an al
of list, who occupies the studio a,