Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - 'Yan uwan Montalba sun kasance masu ba da gudummawa na yau da kullun ga Nunin bazara na Royal Academy a cikin 1870s. Ellen ta yi karatu a Makarantun Kensington ta Kudu, wanda daga baya ya zama Kwalejin Fasaha ta Royal, kuma a Turai, tana zaune a Venice tare da iyalinta. Ta zana hotuna, nazarin adadi da shimfidar wurare gami da hotunan girman rayuwa. Daga cikin hotunan da ta nuna akwai ɗayan 'yar'uwarta Clara da kuma ɗaya daga cikin Princess Louise. Ta nuna aikinta a Gidan Mata
a cikin 1893 World's Columbian Exposition a Chicago, Illinois.