Monday 6 July 2009

Tattooing: PART TWO

Another thing I didn't expect: tattooed royalty. Tattooed royalty of the late 19th century is even more surprising! In some ways...

On the one hand, it's often assumed that today's taboos were practically criminal in any era but our own. But on the other hand, having read bits and pieces about tattooing of the past, it seems like we've lost a lot of the meaning a tattoo could once convey. And then there's the novelty of a tattoo - something that has almost entirely worn off by now. This is probably the reason for the tattoos of King George V and Tsar Nicholas II. Both men visited Japan and came away with dragons on their arms, George V in 1882 and Nicholas II in 1891. Some very determined people on this website have found photographs in which you can just about make out the last tsar's tattoo.

Google pointed me in the direction of a pdf, which is pretty interesting. It's called The Japanese Tattoo and Britain during the Meiji Period and includes this account from 1879 - 1882:

The man who did most of our party was beautifully
tattooed over the whole of his body, and the effect of
these Japanese drawings in various colours and
curves on his glistening skin was like so much
embroidered silk. Like so many of their old customs
tattooing has been abolished by law, but these two
artists were allowed to come to us in our own room here.

It's quite a charming and funny attitude towards the Japanese tattoo art, but also an example of Western aristocracy misinterpreting a foreign culture.

Full body tattoos were a circus attraction in the late 1800's and early 1900's. This is Cally (or Celly?) d'Astra in 1860:

Nora Hildebrandt was America's first tattooed lady! Here she is in 1875 or so:


And here are some ladies from around 1910 (I think) who appear to be mostly German. There are two of Annie Frank, two of La Bella Angora and one of Miss Creola and Miss Alwanda (a rare double act) and one of Madiah Surith. I'm afraid I don't know the name of the second lady! EDIT: she is called Mrs. M. Stevens Wagner!:








Here is a pretty, tattooed lady from 1912:

This is Miss Stella in 1930:


And many many more from various years - most likely before Miss Stella though:










They're great, huh? A lot of them have got rather amazing hair accessories/hair styles and clothing too.

I think this post ought to be drawing to a close now...there are a few more things I want to add, so I'll wrap up this tattooing business in a third post. Oh my. I only have a mild interest in tattooing I swear.

Photo credits include: showhistory.com, lyletuttle.com, a very gracious plum, life magazine, vanishingtattoo.com, strangesports.com, strangecosmos.com

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