Title
Portrait of Wee Bee Neo
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Singapore
Object Type
Technique
Dimension
Frame size: 57.8 x 40.0 x 4.0 cm
Accession No.
2018-01284
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Cynthia, Larry, Celia, Carol and Lawrence Chia, in memory of their parents Chia Teck Loke and Ong Siew Choo.
This painting is a portrait of Wee Bee Neo, a prominent Sang Khek Umm or wedding mistress of ceremonies for Peranakan weddings. She is dressed in a maroon baju panjang, clasped together by kerosang brooches. This is one of the two paintings of Wee Bee Neo, portraying her through the ages. The role of the Sang Khek Umm is very important in a Peranakan wedding ceremony. As a wedding specialist, she is in charge of the bride’s hair and jewellery, and guiding the young lady through the complex rituals littered throughout the wedding.
