Portrait of Ho Tiang Wan

Title

Year/Period

Early 20th century

Region

Penang

Object Type

gelatin silver prints

Material

teak (wood), metallized glass, silver gelatin paper, photographic gelatin

Technique

gelatin silver process, photographic processes, etching (corroding)

Dimension

Frame size: 100.0 x 75.0 x 4.0 cm,
Frame size: 100.0 x 74.5 x 3.5 cm,
Image size: 86.0 x 60.0 cm

Accession No.

2022-00047

Collection of

Peranakan Museum

Credit Line

Gift of Mr Bobby Ho Eng Hean

This is a portrait of Mr Ho Tiang Wan (1847–1914), a businessman in Penang trading in pepper and opium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The portrait is of an unusual form, with the photograph superimposed on a mirror which is etched with decorative Chinese motifs of birds and flowers.Apart from his businesses, Mr Ho Tiang Wan was the secretary of the Chinese Club, a patron of the Chinese Recreation Club, and was also on the board of directors of Pinang Khean Guan Insurance Company, Ltd., among other appointments. There is a road named after him in Penang named “Jalan Ho Tiang Wan”. This portrait was part of a set of four portraits which were commissioned by his second son, Mr Ho Kim Teik.