“In any case, people had to remain still and ‘candid’ street scenes only started in the early 1880s, when the faster dry-plate process made its way to China,” she added.

Itier’s photographs on display focus on the facade of the A-Ma Temple, still standing and little changed today; views of Taipa harbor filled with small Chinese junks; and the then magnificent Praia Grande bay with its promenade of double-story grand colonial houses, which have long disappeared following extensive redevelopment and land reclamation.

Beyond being a record of the landscape and architecture of a bygone age, the old photographs also hint at the economic developments of Macao.

In 1870, John Thomson, a pioneering Scottish photographer, took numerous pictures of the Portuguese enclave, including interesting street scenes that present a rather sleepy and gentle Macao with locals going about their business. But by the turn of the century, photos show a port city bustling with activity.

    Some of the most fascinating images on display are of Hong Kong, with a barely recognizable Pedder Street and its distinctive clock tower or Victoria Peak without skyscrapers. Another photo shows a camel caravan right outside Beijing’s old city walls, the start of the Silk Road.(SD-Agencies)