• The Rui Cunha Foundation launched the “Crescent on the Sea” antiques exhibition featuring approximately 50 artifacts curated by collector Luis Au.
• The exhibition included ceramics, paintings, documents and books from the 4th to the 19th Century.

The Rui Cunha Foundation recently launched the “Crescent on the Sea” antiques exhibition on 21 January, featuring approximately 50 artifacts curated by collector Luis Au. The exhibition, which was on display until 8 February, included ceramics, paintings, documents and books from the 4th to the 19th Century, reflecting the trade along China’s land and Maritime Silk Road routes.

Co-organized by the Foundation and the Au Family Collection, the exhibition celebrated two significant anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of the Silk Road land corridor’s UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2014 and the 20th anniversary of Macau’s Historic Centre being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Luis Au explained that his family began collecting Chinese and Portuguese antiques in the 1950s out of a passion for history. With a rich Sino-Portuguese heritage and a century of work in Macau, his family has been dedicated to promoting cultural heritage education and preserving the city’s historical treasures.

The exhibition title refers to Dunhuang’s crescent-shaped lake, a Silk Road hub, but also symbolizes the bustling maritime trade network of southeast China. Ports like Quanzhou and Macau were vital centers of shipbuilding and global trade during the Song dynasty, linking East and West through the Maritime Silk Road.

Macau’s strategic location made it a key 16th Century maritime hub, exporting Chinese silk, porcelain and other goods to Japan, Europe and beyond. The exhibition highlighted Macau’s pivotal role in expanding global trade networks and fostering cultural exchange.