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Edutainment > Pictures of Japanese Tattoos
This page shows several Japanese woodblock prints from the Edo period (1604-1868), the Meiji period (1868-1912) and by a contemporary woodblock printmaker with some nice tattoos. The tattoos are displayed in over-sized enlargements for friends of Japanese tattoos.
The images on this page are link-sensitive and take you to other articles or web sites in which you might be interested.
Dragon and Demon
This male Japanese nude print was created by Paul Binnie in 1994 in traditional Japanese woodblock technique.
The tattoo shows a Japanese Oni demon battling against a dragon using two swords. In the Japanese mythology a dragon is not an evil creature but a mythical entity associated with the water and rain. Therefore, it was a favorite tattoo motif for firemen in Edo.
Gallery of Japanese Tattoos
Ryu ni Oni - Dragon and Demon - Detail
copyright Paul Binnie
Phoenix and Angel Tattoo
Kunichika Toyohara 1835-1900 created this woodblock print "Tosei Sangokushi no Uchi". Akabuki actor, Sawamura Tanosuke, has a phoenix and angel tattoo on his shoulders.
Kunichika Toyohara was one of the last Japanese print designers who worked in a classical ukiyo-e style. His art prints are of excellent quality and prices are very reasonable. The artist is ideal for beginning collectors of Japanese prints.
Kunichika was a brilliant printmaker, but as a personality an odd, bohemian macho-type who liked to see himself as a hard drinker and womanizer.
Kunichika Toyohara dn his Macho Ideal
Phoenix and Angel Tattoo
copyright protected
Snake Tattoo
The title of this ukiyo-e print is Tosei Sangokushi no Uchi. Kawarazaki Gonjuro, a kabuki actor, is in the roll of Uogashi no Danshichi. Silhouetted floats of a summer festival are passing in the background. The actor has a large "Serpent and Rochishin" tattoed. Rochishin is one of the 108 Suikoden heroes.
Demon Tattoo
This print by Paul Binnie shows a boy with an arm tattoo. The woodblock was cut in 1997 and printed in January 2005. Paul Binnie wrote about this print (abbreviated):
"I am also taking this opportunity to present my largest-ever woodblock, done in a more sosaku-hanga (creative print) style; Ura Hannya, or 'Behind the Hannya Mask'. I have employed a full sheet of washi paper, so the print is approximately 97 x 67cm, and is a jigsaw print, where the large color areas are cut from one block of wood rather than multiple blocks."
"It has hand-colouring in the tattoo, and is against a gold mica ground to simulate gold leaf."
The arm tattoo shows an oni, a Japanese demon, recognizable by the two horns. You find more in our article about Japanese mythology.
Peonies Tattoo
This woodblock print was made by an unknown artist presumably during the early Meiji period. It shows a tattooed kabuki actor. It is presumably the actor Danshichi Kurobei in the play "Natsumatsuri Naniwa Kagami". The red line on the forehead is not a color spot, but part of the design. It indicates a wound from a sword stroke.
Samurai Tattoo
Woodblock print created and published by Paul Binnie in 2006 in an edition of 100. It is from the seres "Edo Sumi Hyakushoku" ("Hundred Shades of Ink of Edo"). the title is "Kunisada no Danjuro" (Kunisada's Danjuro).
The tattoo was inspired by kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro who was in the role of a samurai, depicted by Kunisada Utagawa (1786-1865). You find a detailed description by Paul on Kunisada no Danjuro.
Dieter Wanczura
(September 2009)
The images on this web site are the property of the artist(s) and or the artelino GmbH and/or a third company/institution. Reproduction, public display and any commercial use of these images, in whole or in part, require the expressed written consent of the artist(s) and/or the artelino GmbH. .
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