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A Brief History of the Art The art of tattooing gained its beginning influence on European culture when European explorers’ reported about the creative and artistic tattooing of the Polynesians. It is during this time; approximately the mid 1700’s that the fascination of tattoos truly began in Europe. The very first tattooing of Europeans were performed by natives of Polynesia on the sailors that visited the Polynesia. Although the art was immediately frowned upon by the church, the tradition was still carried on among the fringes of European society. Technological advances in machinery, pigments and artistic design spearheaded an American revolution of mass produced tattooing. During the civil war, tattoo shops made their first appearances in American cities. Military men on both sides of the war were patrons of the tattooing talent. A tattoo was especially helpful if say you had your head blown off by a cannon ball and the only way to recognize your body was by the tattoo on your body. World war II saw a bright new renaissance of tattooing due to the abundance of military servicemen. It was seen as being a part of a soldier to have a tattoo while in service. After the war, tattooing was well established in American culture. Although still not widely accepted by the middle and upper class, the art of tattooing was here to stay. |