Photographs
The collection contains some 700 black and white photographs in various dimensions ranging from 3x4 cm to 26x39 cm between 1868 and 1940, with the period 1880s-1910s predominant. A vast majority of the photos are studio portraits and individual and/or group life photos of Sir Robert Hart, his family members and his personal and official friends. Landscape photos, shots of famous historical places, international events of the time, domestic house interior/exterior photos and those of contemporary paintings and artworks are also available. Though smaller the portion, they are equally significant that help reveal the lifestyle of the Hart family as well as shed some light on what the places and people’s lives are like back in the early 20th century. Although there is limited duplication, all photographs in the Collection are unique and well-kept to provide invaluable first-hand resources for those interested in knowing the Hart family and the history of its time.
Owing to the fact that many of the photos lack captions or identifying information regarding the individuals, times and location, we can only resort to conjecturing through extensive book and online research and cross-reference sources in an effort to approach the truth as closely as possible. In this regard, we sincerely invite contributions and comments from anyone able to provide information about the ‘who, what, where, when’ of the photos to ensure completeness and accuracy of the Collection.
