© Julius Rosenbaum estate

The sitter, Charlotte Melnikov (née Nissen), wife of Russian-born sculptor, Avram Melnikov, was also a painter and exhibited with Ben Uri in 1948. Julius Rosenbaum's wife Adele Reifenberg also painted Charlotte, probably in the same sitting, and both portraits were exhibited at Ben Uri in 1950.

Rosenbaum worked in a realistic expressive style and one reviewer (Barbara Wright, Arts Review, 14.10.57) remarked of his 1957 Memorial exhibition at Ben Uri Gallery that there was 'no gaiety' in his work - which she attributed to his experience as a refugee. His 'Portrait of Charlotte' challenges this remark, however, for despite the sitter's unsmiling expression, the bold palette and expressive brushstrokes conjur a lively presence.