Katharine Carl（1858-1938）

1903到1904年，美國女畫家卡爾應邀入宮給慈禧畫像。1905年她把這9個月的經歷寫成了一本書，名叫《With the Empress Dowager of China》。入民國后，有1917年中華書局《慈禧寫照記》以及不知年份商務印書館《清慈禧太后畫像記》等不同譯本。

書中有專章記述光緒皇帝，對光緒相貌也做了描繪。作為一名女畫家，她眼中的光緒是什么樣呢？對此，上述兩種中譯本分別記述如下：

中華書局《慈禧寫照記》

予見光緒帝之時，光緒帝年事已近三十二歲。其容貌雖極尊嚴，而不如慈禧太后遠甚。帝身長五英尺而長，頭形極佳，兩目大，作褐色，目皮下垂，鼻高，有尊嚴相，與宮中諸貴人稱。口闊，唇薄，其神情態度，可以清癯二字盡之。帝頭發如沐，光可鑒人，頷下髭猶無。……皇帝平日服飾，樸素稱其本性，除逢國家有大典禮外，不穿艷服，亦不簪寶石等物。……
——1917年中華書局《慈禧寫照記》第八章《光緒皇帝》

商務印書館《清慈禧太后畫像記》

帝身頎而長，貌清癯，寡言笑而精神內斂，若有隱憂者，和藹遠遜太后。余見時，帝年已三十余，惡剃發，無須……
——不知年份商務印書館《清慈禧太后畫像記》第七章《光緒皇帝》

對比可見，兩種版本對于光緒帝的相貌詳略不一，顯然對原文有所刪略。那么，女畫家卡爾自己表述的光緒原貌，又是如何呢？為此，我找到英文原版，并將相關內容翻譯如下：

英文原版《With the Empress Dowager of China》

His Majesty the Emperor Kwang-Hsu was nearing the completion of his thirty-second year when I was first presented to him.
我第一次覲見光緒皇帝陛下時，他即將年滿三十二歲。
I found him an interesting study, but not to the degree of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, who has charm and is so fascinating.
我發現他是一位值得研究的對象，但程度不及皇太后陛下那般迷人且充滿魅力。
He has a well-shaped head, with the intellectual qualities well developed, a high brow, with large brown eyes and rather drooping lids, not at all Chinese in form or setting.
他頭形勻稱，顯露出高度發達的智力特征；前額高闊，棕色的大眼睛，眼瞼微垂，其形狀和位置完全不像典型的中國人。
His nose is high and, like most members of the Imperial Family, is of the so-called “noble" type.
他鼻梁高挺，與皇室大多數成員一樣，屬于所謂的“貴族”類型。
A rather large mouth with thin lips, the upper short with a proud curve, the lower slightly protruding, a clear-cut, thin jaw, a strong chin a little beyond the line of the forehead, with not an ounce of superfluous flesh on the whole face, give him an ascetic air and, in spite of his rather delicate physique, an appearance of great reserve strength.
略大的嘴巴，嘴唇較薄，上唇短而帶有驕傲的曲線，下唇微凸；清新瘦削的下頜，結實而略超出前額線條的下巴；整個面龐無一絲贅肉，賦予他一種苦行僧的氣質，盡管體格看似纖弱，卻流露出內蘊的巨大力量。
His complexion is not so white and clear as that of the other members of the Imperial family, for the Manchus have whiter skins than the Chinese; but this seems more the result of delicacy than natural with the Emperor.
他的膚色不如皇室其他成員白皙（因滿族人皮膚較漢人更白）；但這似乎更多源于體弱而非天生如此。
His luxuriant, very long hair, a characteristic of the Manchus, is beautifully silky and glossy and always arranged with the greatest care.
他那濃密、極長的頭發——這是滿族人的特征——如絲般光滑亮澤，總是精心梳理。
It is said he much dislikes being shaved, but tradition, immutable in China, does not allow a man under forty, even if he be the “Son of Heaven," to wear a mustache or whiskers.
據說他極不喜歡剃須修面，但中國那不可更改的傳統，不允許四十歲以下的男子（即便是“天子”）蓄須。
Like all well-bred Chinese, he has small feet and hands, the latter long and thin and most expressive.
如同所有教養良好的中國人一樣，他手腳小巧，雙手修長纖細且極富表現力。
The Emperor dresses with extreme neatness and great simplicity, wearing few ornaments and no jewels except on State occasions.
皇帝陛下衣著極為整潔樸素，除國事場合外，很少佩戴飾物或珠寶。
His face is kindly in expression, but the glance from his rather heavy-lidded eyes is shrewd and intelligent.
他面容和善，但那雙略顯厚重眼皮下的目光卻透著精明與睿智。
Over his whole face there is a look of self-repression, which has almost reached a state of passivity.
他整個面龐都籠罩著一種自我克制的神情，這幾乎已達到一種消極被動的狀態。
But the look of eternal patience in the half-veiled regard of those large eyes seems to show that he will yet try to accomplish China's salvation—that he is but waiting his opportunity.
然而，那雙半掩在大眼睛下的目光中流露出的恒久耐心，似乎表明他仍將嘗試完成拯救中國的大業——他只是在等待時機。
——1907年The Century Co.《With The Empress Dowager of China》

顯而易見，英文原版對于光緒容貌的描繪更加細致，特別是很多神情描寫都是從容貌描寫中引發出來的。據此概括光緒長相，主要有如下特征：

1.五官：頭形好；頭發濃密、長，色澤光亮，梳理精細；無須；眼睛大，棕色，眼瞼微垂，眼皮略顯厚重；鼻梁高挺；

2.四肢：手腳小巧；雙手修長纖細。

3.穿著：整潔樸素，除典禮外，很少佩戴珠寶。

4.神情：面容和善，而又顯得自我克制；目光精明睿智，流露雄心壯志。

卡爾所繪慈禧光緒上朝畫像

這就是1903年這名美國女畫家，對光緒的完整印象，從外貌到神情，都在她的書中做了細致的描寫。只是可惜，作為畫家，她本可以用畫筆，描繪出更真實的光緒相貌。