Lai Fong: A Window into Late Qing China Through the Lens Lai Fong (c. 1839 – 1890), a name largely absent from mainstream art historical narratives, stands as one of the most significant and remarkably prolific photographers of the late Qing Dynasty. Operating primarily out of Hong Kong’s bustling Afong Studio, he forged a unique artistic identity, blending Western photographic techniques with deeply rooted Chinese aesthetic sensibilities. His work offers an invaluable, intimate glimpse into a rapidly transforming China – a nation grappling with foreign influence, internal upheaval, and the…