New-York tribune., 1910-12-02
WOMAN ARTIST STARVES
PAINTING OWN PORTRAIT
Miss Finley Gave Thirty Years
of Life Enulating Example
of Whistler.
RECOGNITION DID NOT COME
Found Dying Before Mirror IN
Philadelphia Studio, with
Smile on Face-Had
Rich Relatives.
tBv Telegram to The Tribune !

BY Telegraph to The Tribune
Philadelphia. Dec Miss Ella Finley,
an artist and sculptor, died in the Ger
man Hospital to-day from starvation,
after giving thirty years of her life to
emulate the example of Whistler and
force more public recognition than the
public was willing to lavish.
Miss Finleys last work. and it lasted
for weeks, was to pose before mirror
in her studio and paint water color OF
herself. forcing a smile on her once
pretty features that her friends might
remember her as she was.
The death of Miss Finley is one of the
saddest that ever occurred in this city
Occupying a handsome studio at NO.
1913 Chestnut street, surrounded by
every luxury from friends to furniture.
but without food she labored for years
painting and moulding inanlmate cray
into works of art. Her entire life was
consecrated to art. 1t was her deter
mination to reach the goal of her anlpl-
rions. even though it cost her life whlcn
- did inst as she had reached her fiftieth
year.
Twice during the last thirty years
Miss Finley had neared the goal OF her
ambitions This was years ago, When
she exhibited several small pieces-ooth
paintings and sculpture-at the locdi
Academy of Fine Arts Her efforts were
rraised, were sold and brought gooo
prices Then she aspired to hlgIer
things refusing absolutely to become a
dauber. and as a result she dleu' lhe
only eatable thing in her studio oelng
mouldy crust of bread
The artist friends of Miss Finley did
not become aware of her condition until
last Sunday when Dr. D. ChalI1s FausI
went to the studio to pay her friendly
visit. He found her sitting before the
mirror and the finished painting OF her-
self. He also noticed her pallor, and IN
sisted on making professional exam
ination. Within three hours she had
been sent to the German Hospital
There her case was diagnosed as peri
tonitis. brought on by starvation An
operation was deemed necessary to save
her life, but she was unable to rally, in
her weakened condition. and died this
morning.
Finley, q painter. She began the study
of art at the Academy of Fine Arts in
this city about thirty years ago. She
continued until 1898. studying sculpture
most of the time. but eventually was
forced to give up her studies owing to
the cost of instruction and of materials.
1t was then she took up painting, but
ha hos CcII1Dfnr
OF her best figures being in miniature.
Until her brother. who was an Arizona
State Senator and d wealthy mine owner
died in 1898, life was comparatively easy
for Miss Finley Her brother regularly
sent her d monthly remittance for S1D
and with this she was enabled to follow
her art bent. She also had wealthy
sister, wife of a prominent San Francisco
attorney; but the sisters drifted apart
and the dead woman seldom heard from
her San Francisco relative.
For the last five years close friends
of Miss Finley have been endeavoring to
get her to give up her art" Her answer
invariably was:
My work will be recognized some
time. l am working along much the
same lines as Whistler. He waited
twenty years before recognition came, as
was due him. l may wait longer, but
eventually l will come
Only last week one of her women
artist friends endeavored to persuade
her to enter the commercial illustrating
field. She became indignant when in
formed that she could make much money
with which to enable her to continue her
higher studies. She answered the friend
~ advice with:
do the trash you are doing.