With a background in both journalism and studio art, Henry Rothman began his career in the 1940s as a photographer with an interest in urban decay and street art. Over the course of his artistic career, he opened a salon in New York City that became a local hangout for artists, including Jacques Lipschitz, Louise Nevelson, and Anthony Quinn. In the 1950s, his artistic practice turned to collage, using old advertisements and found posters and demonstrating a visual affinity for torn advertisements on scaffolding around the city. His works are known for their miniature size and emphasis on typography—Rothman frequently titles a work after a central letter featured in the composition.