[1] As an only child, Roboz was raised largely by governesses and saw relatively little of her parents, but enjoyed spending time with them whenever their busy lives would permit.

Eventually, the liberal arts fell out of favour and Roboz's father, Imre, was deprived of his job which resulted in him handing it over to a friend, writer Harsanyi Zsolt.

[3] According to The Times, after the occupation of Hungary Imre was eventually forced to a concentration camp where he had been reported dead.

[4] After arriving in London in 1947,[2] she worked for an old friend of her fathers, Alexander Korda, an active and well-known figure in cinema, as a typist and occasional dinner guest with celebrities such as John Garfield.

[4] It was during this time that Roboz attended art classes at the Royal Academy Schools under the supervision of Peter Greenham,[2] and would later catch the eye of Pietro Annigoni.

[4] She later left to study in Italy as Annigoni’s pupil and upon returning to London after the year was up, she was considered a “brilliant draughtsman.”[4] Roboz was best known for her portraits of dancers, musicians and writers.

Roboz regarded “herself as a painter who sometimes painted portraits, rather than a specialist in the genre.”[4] These other interests included series on music and the ballet.

[4] After her second independent show, she caught the attention of Jacques O’Hana, an art dealer from Mayfair who took her on as a recurring artist.

[4] Although she had become relatively well known in the art world, she still wanted to further her artistic skills and travelled thoroughly, from places like the Dalmatian Coast to Hong Kong.

The series was dedicated to not only showcasing these writers but capturing their creative aura to celebrate their works that made them who they are.

[1] Among her other stylistic choices, Messum’s describes her work as ranging from “sensual drawings to oils which hint at the surreal absurdity of life’s experiences.”[2] 1956 Commissions from Sir Alexander Korda of Claire Bloom and Mary Ure, the beginning of a series of portraits of his contract artists.

1964 Invited by Sheila Van Damm, owner of the Windmill Theatre, to work backstage to capture its “last days”.

1970 Solo exhibition at the O’Hana Gallery, London, in conjunction with the publication of her first book, Women and Men’s Daughters.

Portraits of Sir Frederick Ashton and Lord Olivier enter the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert’s Theatre Museum, London.

1985 Solo exhibition during the Spring Festival at the Hungarian State Opera’s Erkel Theatre, Budapest.

The scholarship is a registered charity that is dedicated to preserving and restoring Roboz’s work and organizing public viewings across England and Wales.