Ancestor portrait of Mrs. Ang Ann Siang (nee Mdm Goh Gin Neo)

Title
Ancestor portrait of Mrs. Ang Ann Siang (nee Mdm Goh Gin Neo)
Year/Period
1930s
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Image size: Image: H60.7cm X W47.8cm,
Image size: Frame: H72cm X W57cm
Accession No.
2002-00781-002
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Ang

This portrait in its original frame is of Mrs. Ang Ann Siang (nee Mdm Goh Gin Neo), whose husband was the chief storekeeper of a rubber warehouse. This photo was taken in the 1930s and it comes in a set—the other portrait is of Mr Ang. In this portrait, Mrs Ang’s dressing reflects the typical style favoured by Peranakan women in Singapore and Malacca. She is wearing a ‘baju panjang’ held together by 'kerosangs' (decorative brooches used as fasteners on blouses). Her hair was done up in the ‘sanggul Nonya’ style with three hairpins. Ancestor portraits in their original frames are rare today. Portraits like this were often taken shortly after marriage, then kept in storage and hung up only after the subject was deceased.