Dato’ Hoessein Enas was born in Bogor, Indonesia in 1924. He arrived in Malaya from Indonesia in 1947 and became a citizen in 1956. He was the founding member of Angkatan Pelukis Semenanjung (Malaysia Painters Front) in 1956, which was an important force in the development of artistic activity in the country around Independence. His stature as a portrait painter in the academic realist style flourished in prominence following Malaya’s independence in 1957. At various stages of his life, he was appointed as an officer in charge of Aboriginal Affairs with the Museum Department and later as Chief of Graphic and Design with the newly established television service of national public broadcast Radio Television Malaysia (RTM). In 1963, The Shell Group of Companies in Malaysia commissioned him to travel throughout the country to produce a series of drawings and paintings to commemorate the formation of Malaysia. In 1990, Hoessein Enas was conferred ‘Royal Portrait Painter’ status by HRH The Sultan of Selangor. As a pioneer in portrait painting, he was regarded as the “Father of Malaysian Portrait Painting”.