Los Angeles County
Biographies
ALEXANDER FINTA
Alexander Finta, sculptor, painter and author, was born June 12, 1881 in Turkeve, Hungary; the son of Alexander and Rosa (Hajdu) Finta.
Student at Real Gymnasium, 1891-97, European art schools and academies, 1897-1912, and Columbia University, 1928. He came to the United States in 1923 and was naturalized in 1930.
Mr. Finta is recognized throughout the world as one of the outstanding sculptors of our age. He has immortalized Cardinal Hayes (marble bust), General Grant (statue), Washington Irving, Walt Whitman and Robert Fulton; art expert for the Stone Mountain monument of Atlanta, Georgia; and has permanent exhibitions in the Numismatic Museum of New York and is represented in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts of New York with a marble bust of Cardinal Hayes, the National and Fine Arts Museums of Budapest; sculptor for Twentieth Century Fox Film Studio Company; represented by statuary in Budapest, Hungary, and Transylvania; monuments to war heroes in Jugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, a sixteen-piece group in Cathedral of Dom Pedro, Brazil, a twelve-foot granite monument “Strength,” in Rio de Janeiro, and a Civil War Memorial—Civil War infantryman “The Spirit of Columbia,” to be placed in Pershing Square, Los Angeles, which will tower eighteen feet high when completed.
He has won thirty-six public monument competitions in eleven nations and his work is well known in Europe, South America and the United States. He did a bronze memorial of Professor William H. Park, Health Department, New York; marble portrait of St. Stephen, King of Hungary, for Catholic Church of St. Stephen, New York; and bronze portrait relief of Michael de Kovats; and many other notable works. Awarded a special medal for artistic merit and also the popular vote competition.
An author of note, Mr. Finta has been honored by the Edgar Allan Poe Society. Author of :”Herdboy of Hungary,” published by Harper’s in 1932 (Junior Literary Guild Selection); “Best Short Stories for Children,” 1934; “The Big Game Hunt” (serial), 1936; “My Brother and I”; “Kis Bojtar”; Sanko” (serial in Tarogato Magazine) 1941-43. Author of epic poems; Ki Vagy? The Wonder-voiced Colt’s Bell; two volumes of lyric poems; epic poem “Attila”; and is also a contributor to magazines. Mr. Finta is a distinguished lecturer.
Member of Painters’ and Sculptors’ Club of Southern California (honorary secretary) and California Art Club, both of Los Angeles.
Mr. Finta married Eszter Finta of Turkeve, Hungary, April 25, 1914; one son, Alexander. On June 12, 1919 he married (2d) Catherine Kantor of Budapest.
Address: 2823 South Hobart Boulevard, Los Angeles 18, California.
Transcribed 4-16-14 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent
Californians 1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Page 327, C. W. Taylor Publ.,
Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES