Portret van een man en vrouw 1883 - 1887

Siaauw Hoo Lim took this portrait of a man and woman at an unknown date, using photographic paper. In this sepia-toned photograph, we see a formally posed man and woman, likely members of the Peranakan Chinese community in the Dutch East Indies. The woman stands slightly behind the seated man, her hand resting on his shoulder, a gesture suggesting a close relationship and perhaps also her status. The subdued tones and careful composition speak to the formalities of studio portraiture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Such photographs, carefully preserved in albums, served as markers of identity and status within a complex colonial society. Siaauw Hoo Lim, as a local photographer, played a key role in shaping the visual culture of this community. Further research into colonial archives, genealogical records, and studies of Peranakan culture could reveal more about the sitters and the social context in which this image was produced and consumed.