The Jewish refugee dislocated as a result of the political and social upheaval, is a recurring theme in Maurice Minkowski's work. However, his portrait of Moshe Oved (aka Edward Goodack or Edward Good) is rendered with calm realism. Oved was, like Minkowski himself, Polish-born and emigrated to England c. 1902. He was a founding member of the Ben Uri Society in 1915 and a great supporter of Yiddish culture, holding an honorary office within Ben Uri from its inception until 1956. Oved helped to fund and facilitate the acquisition by Ben Uri of a number of important early works by artists, including Simeon Solomon, Jacob Kramer, David Bomberg and Samuel Hirszenberg. In 1908, Oved opened the shop 'Cameo Corner', located in Museum Street near the British Museum from the late 1940s onwards, and was recognised as an authority on cameos, antique watches and clocks.