A Brush with History: The Western Artist in the Forbidden City
In the twilight years of the Qing Dynasty, an extraordinary cultural exchange unfolded within the vermilion walls of Beijing’s Forbidden City. A Western artist received the rare privilege of painting Empress Dowager Cixi, the de facto ruler of China for nearly half a century. This intimate artistic commission provides us with a remarkable window into court life during one of China’s most tumultuous historical periods.
The artist’s account reveals much about the complex personality of Cixi – at once imperial and approachable, traditional yet curious about Western ways. The painting sessions occurred during what historians now recognize as the final relatively stable period before the complete collapse of imperial China, making these interactions particularly significant.
The Imperial Portrait Sessions
The artist describes arriving prepared for the second day of painting, having learned from initial experiences with the rigid protocols of the Qing court. Cixi demonstrated surprising consideration for her guest’s comfort, rescheduling the session when she sensed the artist’s fatigue during their first meeting.
When the portrait work began in earnest, the empress dowager appeared more relaxed than during their initial encounter. The artist meticulously recorded Cixi’s physical appearance: her symmetrical features, unlined complexion despite her advanced age, and natural beauty that required no cosmetics. Particularly striking was the observation that the nearly seventy-year-old ruler appeared no older than thirty—a testament to her meticulous self-care regimen.
The painting process itself broke with artistic convention. Normally beginning with broader composition work, the artist instead focused immediately on Cixi’s face at the empress’s subtle prompting—a revealing detail about the ruler’s vanity and self-awareness.
Court Life Through Western Eyes
Between brushstrokes, the artist documented fascinating details of palace life. Cixi’s smoking habits particularly captured Western curiosity—she used an elaborate copper pipe apparatus to smoke European cigars in a modified fashion that she deemed more elegant than direct smoking.
The midday break introduced the artist to Yehenara Hongying, a young noblewoman educated in Europe who became an important cultural bridge. Their lunch together became an occasion for detailed observations about Chinese culinary arts, with particular admiration for the chefs’ ability to create complex flavors and textures across dozens of exquisite dishes.
The artist noted significant differences in dining etiquette: the absence of salt shakers (replaced by individual sauce dishes), the prohibition against altering a chef’s prepared dishes, and the preference for warm beverages including heated fruit wines with poetic names like “Rose Dew.” The post-meal customs also differed markedly from Western traditions, with tea replacing coffee and an enforced two-hour rest period observed by the entire court.
The Summer Palace Excursion
The afternoon brought an unexpected diversion when Cixi proposed a boating excursion on the palace lake rather than continuing the portrait session. The artist’s description of the imperial “fleet”—with Cixi’s yellow-canopied barge at the center surrounded by attendant vessels—vividly illustrates the theatrical nature of Qing court ritual.
Particularly poignant is the scene of Cixi delighting in lotus flowers, ordering them distributed to her entourage and visibly pleased when the Western artist shared her appreciation. The empress’s genuine joy in these natural beauties contrasts with her typical historical portrayal as solely power-obsessed.
As sunset approached, the party returned to shore, concluding with another elaborate dinner service where strict protocols dictated that Cixi dined alone before her attendants.
Cultural Legacy and Historical Significance
This intimate account humanizes one of history’s most controversial female rulers while preserving valuable ethnographic details about late imperial court life. The artist’s observations reveal the sophisticated material culture of the Qing elite—from the tea-filled silk cushions gifted to the Western guest to the elaborate dining customs that blended practicality with exquisite aesthetics.
More significantly, these encounters occurred during China’s painful transition toward modernity. Within a few short years after these painting sessions, the Qing dynasty would collapse, making these observations particularly precious as documentation of a vanishing world. Cixi’s engagement with Western art and visitors demonstrates her complex relationship with foreign influences—both resistant to and fascinated by them.
The portrait sessions and their surrounding activities offer us not just an artistic endeavor, but a profound cultural exchange that continues to inform our understanding of China’s final imperial chapter. Through the Western artist’s eyes, we glimpse the contradictions of the late Qing court—its breathtaking refinement existing alongside impending decline, its rigid traditions occasionally yielding to genuine human connection.