Katharine A. Carl

Katharine A. Carl (c. 1865–1938) was an American painter and author best known for her intimate account of life inside the Forbidden City. In 1903, she was commissioned to paint a portrait of Empress Dowager Cixi, becoming the first Western woman to live in the Chinese imperial palace. Her book, With the Empress Dowager of China (1905), blends personal observation with cultural commentary, detailing court rituals, politics, and the Empress's personality. Carl's work is valued for its firsthand glimpse into a world rarely seen by outsiders, and it remains a significant primary source for historians of late imperial China. Though her literary output was limited, her memoir's vivid detail and unique vantage point have secured her a lasting place in travel and memoir literature.