Tattoos in Japanese Prints

ManytattooconnoisseursconsidertheJapanesetraditiontobethefinestintheworldforitsdetail,complexity,andcompositionalskill.ItsstyleandsubjectmatteraredrawnfromthevisualtreasuretroveofJapanesepopularculture,inparticularthecolourwoodblockprintsoftheearlynineteenthcenturyknownasukiyo-e.Thisbooktellsthefascinatingstoryofhowukiyo-efirstinspiredtattooartistsasthepictorialtraditionoftattooinginJapanwasjustbeginning.ItexplorestheJapanesetattoo’sevolvingmeanings,fromsymbolofdevotiontopunishmentandeventocrime,andrevealsthetalesbehindspecificmotifs.Withlush,colourfulimagesofflowersbloomingonthearmofathief,seamonsterscoilingacrossthebackofahero,andlegendarywarriorsbattlingonthechestsofactors,thetattoosintheseJapaneseprintscanofferthesamevividinspirationtodayastheydidtwohundredyearsago.,