Hong Kong scenes shot by an early 20th century tourist

Touring East Asia in the first decade of the 20th century, Hungarian photographer Dezsõ Bozóky (1871-1957) captured Hong Kong for posterity, having visited the British colony in 1907 and 1909 and taken a series of images that now form a fascinating exhibition.

Queen's Road Central.Photo:Dezsõ Bozóky

Organised by the University Museum and Art Gallery, of the University of Hong Kong, and the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts, in Budapest, the show, “Pictures of the Past: Hungarian Photographer Dezsõ Bozóky in Hong Kong”, runs until January 8.

Bozóky, a naval doctor, documented his journey in a diary and took hundreds of images: a rare visual record of the colony. His black-and-white and hand-coloured pictures offer a unique glimpse of the bustling merchant town, culturally mixed society and lush natural landscape.

Queen’s Road Central with Central Market on the left. Photo:Dezsõ Bozóky

“‘Pictures of the Past’ allows us to accompany Bozóky on his personal journey and to see what phenomena and characteristics of Hong Kong, such as the lively narrow paths with street vendors, the food stalls and the lush garden-like cemeteries, interested a foreign traveller a hundred years ago,” says Dr Florian Knothe, director of the University Museum and Art Gallery.

A photo of Queen's Road and D'Aguilar Street. Photo:Dezsõ Bozóky’s

(SCMP)