The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of November 4, 2026

A vertically oriented photograph depicts a seated official with light skin tone turned slightly to our left. He wears a dark, wide-sleeved robe with a square rank badge depicting a bird and holds a long string of beads. Beside him, a table holds a white vase with flowering branches and stacked books. He wears a black cap and thick-soled boots, resting on a patterned rug before a neutral background.

Portrait of a Naval Officer

1870s
photographer

Lai Fong (Afong Studio)

(Chinese, c. 1839–1890)
China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Albumen print
Image: 25.7 x 20.9 cm (10 1/8 x 8 1/4 in.); Mount: 35.4 x 27.5 cm (13 15/16 x 10 13/16 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 2026.75
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Lai Fong was the preeminent Chinese photographer of the 19th century.

Description

Lai was a talented photographer and shrewd businessman who operated a studio in Hong Kong called Afong Studio. He competed successfully with British and European competitors, perhaps because, as he advertised, his catalogue of views of China were “larger, choicer, and more complete…than any other in the Empire.” He provided an insider’s look at the modernization and other changes brought to China by trade and war with Western nations.
  • -October 8, 2026
    Stephan Loewentheil, New York, NY, sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art
    October 8, 2026-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Portrait of a Naval Officer|url=false|author=Lai Fong (Afong Studio)|year=1870s|access-date=04 November 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2026.75