Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TATTOO
RONINGALLERY
TABOO
TATTOO
RONIN GALLERY
425 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017
The Largest Collection of Japanese Prints in the U.S.
Contemporary Asian Art
March 2015
2015 RONIN GALLERY All Rights Reserved
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Yakuza to Olympians
(1952 - Today)
Despite newfound legality, irezumi did not enjoy a renaissance of Edoesque fervor. Though
no longer against the law, tattoos remained
firmly pitted against popular opinion. A history of negative associations became a frightening reality with the rise of the Japanese
crime syndicate, the yakuza. Proliferating in
the wake of WWII, the yakuza dealt in the
sex industry, extortion, weapons smuggling,
as well as some legitimate businesses. While
forcibly applied punitive tattoos identified
criminals in Japans past, yakuza use ink to
willingly pronounce their membership to the
criminal class. Within the yakuza, a tattoo
served four roles: initiation, proof of perseverance, commitment to the criminal world and
declaration of their particular branch of the
larger syndicate (Kumi). Reaching a high point
among yakuza members in the 1970s, irezumi
quickly became synonymous with crime and
intimidation. Through the mere act of rolling up a sleeve, revealing the ink beneath, one
could get whatever he wanted, whenever he
wanted it.
Since the 1990s, economic recession and
the implementation of the Act for the Prevention of Unlawful Activities have spurred
tattoo clientele to shift from 99 percent
yakuza to 50 percent average citizen.5 Today,
American one-point tattoos flourish amongst
Japans younger generations, but the general
Japanese attitude towards irezumi remains
conflicted. Though an estimated 3,000 tattoo
1. Richie, Donald, and Ian Buruma. The Japanese Tattoo. New York: Weatherhill, 1980. Print. 76.
2. Horiyoshi III. 100 Demons of Horiyoshi III. Japan: Yoshihito Nakano, 1998. Print. 149.
3. Van Gulik, Willem R. Irezumi: The Pattern of Dermatography in Japan. Leiden: Rijksmuseum Voor Volkenkunde, 1982. Print. 84.
4. Kitamura, Takahiro. Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-e Motifs in the Japanese Tattoo. Amsterdam: KIT Pub., 2007. Print. 48.
5. Yamada, Mieko. Westernization and Cultural Resistance of Tattooing Practices in Contemporary Japan. International Journal of
Cultural Studies.12 (4), Sage Publications, 2014. Print, 319-338. 328.
6. Mitchell, Jon. Japan Inked: Should the Country Reclaim Its Tattoo Culture? Japan Times. Japan Times, 03 May 2014.
Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
7. Sekiguchi, Toko. Taking the Stink Out of Ink. Japan Real Time. Wall Street Journal, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
8. Okazaki, Manami. Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo. Hong Kong: Kingyo, 2013. Print. 170.
9. Associated Press. Tattoo Ban at Bathhouses Raises Concern in Japan.Ajw.asahi.com. The Asahi Shimbun, 14 Sep. 2013.
Web. 10 Jan. 2015.
10. Okazaki, Manami. Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo. Hong Kong: Kingyo, 2013. Print. 38.
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IREZUMI IN UKIYO-e
Irezumi: Literally to insert ink and is the term commonly associated with
traditional Japanese tebori, or hand tattooing, both in technique and imagery.
The aesthetics of the Japanese tattoo are due to the intimate and inseparable relationship between
ukiyo-e and irezumi. By the height of the Edo period, the public visibility and narrative inspiration of
both the tattoo and the woodblock print indicated ones allegiance to the exciting, chaotic and rapidly
shifting conditions of the urban floating world. These ephemeral arts developed as parallel forms of
expression, each drawing inspiration from religious imagery, Japanese mythology and folklore, traditional symbolism, historical episodes and popular literature. Released in 1805, Takizawa Bakins Shinpen
Suikogaden (New Illustrated Edition of the Suikoden) incited mania in Edo and served as a key point of
intersection between ukiyo-e, irezumi, and kabuki theater. As irezumi and ukiyo-e flourished, the tattoo and the woodblock print became increasingly referential, melding shared motifs into a common
iconography. Even when ukiyo-e prints do not illustrate irezumi, they consistently reveal this shared
visual language. From the bandit heroes of the Suikoden to the fiery scales of a carp, these ukiyo-e prints
present on paper the same iconography inked into skin.
Kunisada (1786 - 1864) aka Toyokuni III One of the most active and popular ukiyo-e artists of
the 19th century, Kunisada was born in the Honjo district of Edo in 1786. At the age of fourteen, he
was admitted to study under Toyokuni, the current head of the Utagawa school. Many of his works,
particularly his actor prints, became overnight successes and he was considered the star attraction of
the school. He signed his works Kunisada until 1844, when he began using the signature of Toyokuni.
Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861) Kuniyoshi will always be remembered as Japans greatest master of warrior
and historical prints. Born in Edo in 1797, Kuniyoshi was the son of a silk dyer. At the age of fourteen,
he was accepted to study woodblock printing under Toyokuni I and would become one of his most successful students. In 1827 Kuniyoshi designed the dramatic series, 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, inciting
a popular hunger for his portrayals of famous samurai and legendary heroes. Known by the nickname
Scarlet Skin, Kuniyoshi carried this bold spirit into his own life, adorning himself with a tattoo that
stretched across his shoulders and the expanse of his back.
Kunichika (1835 - 1900) Born the son of a public bathhouse proprietor in Edo, Kunichika began his
ukiyo-e training under Toyohara Chikanobu before apprenticing under Utagawa Kunisada. Kunichika,
a leader in the actor print genre, represents one of the last great ukiyo-e artists working in a rapidly
modernizing Japan. Often depicting roles from the Suikoden in half-portrait form, Kunichika presents
his actors in dramatic poses set against vibrant backgrounds, or bursting with activity within an exciting theatrical scene.
Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) Working in a Japan straddling the domains of the old, feudal systems and
the Meiji era, Yoshitoshi is considered to be one of the last great masters of ukiyo-e. At the age of
twelve, he began to study under the renowned artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi, refining his skills in observation and drawing. As modernization pushed ahead, Yoshitoshi suffered a nervous breakdown in 1872,
driving him to poverty. A year later, he resumed working and fulfilled his creative potential. Yoshitoshi
suffered his final mental breakdown in the spring of 1892 and was committed to the Sugamo Asylum.
On the 9th of June 1892, he died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of fifty-three. His work is known
for its eerie and imaginative component.
1. Kitamura, Takahiro, and Katie M. Kitamura. Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2000. Print, 13.
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The Suikoden is a Japanese adaptation of the 14th century Chinese classic, Shuihuzhuan (Stories of
the Water Margin). In 1805, Takizawa Bakin presented his translation New Illustrated Edition of the
Suikoden, to great acclaim. Chojun is a popular and heavily tattooed hero from this tale. In a feat of bravery and strength, he breaks through the water gate, despite the fall of enemy arrows. Unfortunately, he
soon dies due to the wounds attained during the struggle. He is usually portrayed with a sword between
his teeth and a floral tattoo bodysuit.
Series: One of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c. 1827-1830
Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga
Size: 15 x 10.25
Ref. #: JP6373
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Kaosho Rochishin
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Konkoryu Rishun
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Nyuunryu Kosonsho
Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)
The aesthetics of the Japanese tattoo are due to its intimate and inseparable relationship with ukiyo-e.
Even when ukiyo-e prints do not illustrate inked skin, they consistently reveal a shared visual language. In
this print, a dragon curls around Suikoden hero Nyuunryu Kosonsho, nicknamed Dragon in the Clouds.
A Taoist priest, this hero is known for his ability to control wind and rain.
Series: One of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c. 1827-1830
Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga
Size: 14.5 x 9.5
Ref. #: JPR5252
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The carp, or koi, does not flinch beneath the knife and can swim
against the current with immense endurance. As king of the river
fish, the carp represents persistence and fortitude. Though this
print does not feature tattooed skin, it presents a common tattoo
motif, illustrating the shared visual vocabulary of ukiyo-e and the
tattoo.
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c.1838
Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga
Size: 14.25 x 10
Ref. #: JPR5243
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Snakes, or hebi, often serve as guardians of shrines in Japanese legends. Linked with wisdom and prophecy, serpents are a popular motif in both ukiyo-e and tattoo.
Series: Japanese and Chinese Comparisons for the Tale of Genji
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: 1855
Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga
Size: 14.75 x 10
Ref. #: JP5983
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Kaosho Rochishin
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Arms crossed tightly against his chest, kabuki actor Ichimura Kakyos skin
blooms with rich, red peonies or botan. Known as the king of the flowers,
the peony symbolizes strength and beauty.
Rendered in the burnt orange of fall, maple leaves fall across the arms and
torso of Nakamura Shikan. An important motif across ukiyo-e and tattoo,
maple leaves, or momiji, suggest the passage of time or aging. While the
serpent on Shikans kimono slithers along silk, not skin, this stylized snake
hints at the influence of tattoo on Edo fashions.
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Ichimura Uzaemon
as Kiyotaki no Sashichi
Bando Kamezo
as Hinotama-kozo Oni Keisuke
Ichikawa Kodanji
as Wani no Junsuke
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While tattoos flourished within the Yoshiwara and the kabuki theater, tattooed bodysuits also became very common
amongst laborers. Mallets raised overhead, laborers assemble the framework of the Ichimuraza Theater. Balancing
amidst the beams, the men work in various states of undress, revealing the blue and red of their tattooed bodysuits.
Laborers such as these often also worked as firefighters, another heavily tattooed group in Edo.
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Date: 1864
Signature: 79 years old Toyokuni hitsu (left) ,Oju Toyokuni hitsu (center, right)
Size: 14 x 28.5
Ref. #: JP6460
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Nozarashi Gosuke, Asahina Tobei and Ude no Kisaburo from Modern Suikoden
Kunisada (1786 - 1864) aka Toyokuni III
In this triptych, Toyokuni III depicts not the bandit heroes of the Suikoden, but three famous otokodate, or street
knights, of Edo. Like an Edo period Robin Hood, an otokodate fought for justice and the common man. By depicting otokodate with the characteristic tattoos of the Suikoden bandits, Toyokuni III presents these Japanese street
warriors as a modern answer to a Chinese classic. Looking to the print on the far right, Toyokuni III renders actor
Ichikawa Ichizo as Nozarashi Gosuke with the characteristic nine-dragon irezumi of Kyumonryu, a common tattoo
choice of Edo street knights. In the center, actor Nakamura Fukusuke appears as Asahina Tobei, bearing the floral
tattoo of Kaosho Rochishin. On the left, actor Kawarazaki Gonjuro plays the role of Ude no Kisaburo, likened to an
ascetic warrior.
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Date: 1858
Signature: Kiko Toyokuni ga
Size: 14 x 28.5
Ref. #: JP6371
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Series: Suikoden
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c. 1832
Size:3.5 x 5
Ref. #: JP5046
In this shunga print, faint blue outlines weave their way all across the warriors exposed skin, from ankle
to mid-forearm. While clearly meant as an erotic image, it also provides an unobstructed view of an Edo
period tattoo bodysuit. As most shunga were not signed, the name of the artist is attributed.
Series: E-hon
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c.1840
Size: 10 x 13
Ref. #: JP6455
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Kawarazaki Gonjuro
Kunichikas complete series Flowers of Edo: Five Young Men reveals the prominence of tattoo in kabuki
roles, but this popularity extended offstage as well. While the tattoos of kabuki characters were applied
with makeup, the actors often wore true irezumi beneath their costumes. In the following half portraits,
these actors present flower, wave and dragon tattoos.
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Date: 1864
Signature: Kunichika ga
Size: 13.5 x 9.25 (each)
Ref. #: JPR5469
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Sawamura Tanosuke
Nakamura Shikan
Ichimura Kakyo
Bando Hikosaburo
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Playing the role Kyumonryu Shishin from the Suikoden, Ichikawa Danjuro sports an elegant rendering of
the heros nine-dragon tattoo bodysuit. Cast in deep blue and piercing red, these stage tattoos would
have been applied using kumadori, the same makeup used to paint lines on the face, arms and legs of actors playing aragoto, or rough style, roles.
Series: 100 Roles of Ichikawa Danjuro
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: 1898
Signature: Kunichika hitsu
Size: 14 x 9.5
Ref. #: JP6367
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Centering actor Onoe Kikugoro beneath the crashing waterfall, Kunichika beautifully illustrates one of
the oldest tattooing motifs: kawa, or river. Though
most tattoo iconography depends on the presence
of ink, kawa is defined by the absence of pigment.
Referring to the river of bare skin running down
the center of the chest, kawa is a distinctive feature
of the jinbeibori tattoo pattern.
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: c. 1880
Size: 13.5 x 9.25
Ref. #: JP6166
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Rorihakucho Chojun
Wrestling Kokusenpu Riki in the Water
Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
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Kyumonryu Shishin
Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
In this print from Heroes of the Suikoden, Yoshitoshi presents Kyumonryu receiving his namesake tattoos. With all outlines and one sleeve complete, the tebori master begins to shade the heros shoulders.
With his right index finger extended along the bamboo of the hari, the tattoo artist holds the skin taught
and the sumi brush with the left hand. Depicting the prepared ink and different hari on the floor next to
the artist, Yoshitoshi reveals the tools and practice of tebori during the Edo period.
Series: Heroes of the Suikoden
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: 1868
Signature: Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu
Date: 13.75 x 9.25
Ref. #: JP6375
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A precursor to the decorative tattoo in Edo, irebokuro (vow marks) were enormously popular in the Yoshiwara. They began as simple tattooed dots but escalated to names tattooed onto the inner arm. Handkerchief clenched between her teeth, the courtesan turns away from the shimmering needle hovering above
her inner arm. Her loose wisps of hair, handkerchief and disheveled kimono suggest that one moment of
passion led to another: the application of a vow mark. The hand wielding the needle likely belongs to the
courtesans lover or client, declaring the couples love, whether purchased or true, by tattooing his name
upon her arm.
Series: 32 Aspects of Women
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: 1888
Signature: Yoshitoshi ga
Size: 14 x 9.25
Ref. #: JP6462
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Kyumonryu Shishin
Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
From Yoshitoshis famous 100 Views of the Moon, Kyumonryu gazes at the full moon in his home village.
Though his bandit life has yet to begin, his characteristic nine-dragoned irezumi is complete. While many
ukiyo-e artists rendered tattoos solely in blue and red, here Yoshitoshi revels in the tattoo, depicting Kyumonryus bodysuit with an incredible richness of color and intricacy of design.
Series: 100 Views of the Moon
Medium: Woodblock Print
Date: 1885
Signature: Yoshitoshi
Size: 14 x 9.5
Ref. #: JPR5812
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Horiyoshi III
Horiyoshi III (b. 1946) is Japans preeminent tebori master, whose work is indebted
to traditions of apprenticeship and skill.
While the world of tattoo remains one of
secrecy and exclusivity in Japan, Horiyoshi
III has transcended taboo, achieving national and international fame. Interestingly, the most famous tattoo artist worldwide, Horiyoshi IIIs studio continues to
operate discreetly and unmarked.
Born Yoshihito Nakano, Horiyoshi III
received his current title from the late
tebori master Yoshitsugu Muramatsu, also
known as Shodai Horiyoshi of Yokohama.
Beginning at age sixteen, Horiyoshi III
served as Shodai Horiyoshis apprentice for
ten years. By age twenty-eight Horiyoshi
IIIs body suit was complete, hand tattooed by Shodai Horiyoshi. In the future,
Kazuyoshi, Horiyoshi IIIs son and apprentice, will carry on the family line and
become Horiyoshi IV.
Though ukiyo-e officially ended in 1868,
Horiyoshi III carries on the spirit of these
pictures of the floating world in his work,
simultaneously incorporating his own style
and a contemporary perspective. This
sensitivity to tradition extends beyond
his tebori. In recent years, Horiyoshi III
has concentrated on traditional kakejiku
1. Horiyoshi III. 100 Demons of Horiyoshi III. Japan: Yoshihito Nakano, 1998. Print.
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Toryumon Gate
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Baku
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Kusunoki Tamonmaru
Horiyoshi III (b. 1946)
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Namakubi in Winter
Horiyoshi III (b. 1946)
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A famous spirit, or yokai, Yuki-onna is a beautiful, but treacherous character. With nearly translucent skin and lips blue from the cold, only the rich
black of her hair distinguishes her from the snow.
Moving without footprints or a sound, she appears
to unsuspecting travelers.
Medium: Scroll painting on silk
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 46 x 13.5
Ref. #: JPR5785
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Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 19.25 x 12.5
Ref. #: JPR5758
Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 18 x 13.75
Ref. #: JPR5755
c. 1834. JP5984
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Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 20 x 14.25
Ref. #: JPR5765
Asahina Fighting Two Crocodiles. Yoshitoshi. Woodblock print. 13.75 x 29.5. c. 1842. JPR5045
In the central panel of this marvelous triptych, the legendary figure Asahina wrestles with one of two
attacking crocodiles. The determined expression on the heros face and his bulging muscles suggest that
he is a strong fighter, yet the contrasting horrified and worried appearances of the spectators in the surrounding boats suggests that this may be a close fight. While Horiyoshi IIIs Asahina battles a different
foe amidst crashing waves, this drawing demonstrates the enduring popularity of Japanese folk heroes.
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Nitta Yoshisada
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Nine-Tailed Fox
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Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 19.25 x 12.75
Ref. #: JPR5749
Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 19.25 x 12.5
Ref. #: JPR5754
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Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 16.5 x 11.5
Ref. #: JPR5558
Medium: Drawing
Date: c. 2010
Signature: Sandaime Horiyoshi
Size: 16.5 x 12.5
Ref. #: JPR5775
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MASATO SUDO
Introduced by Dutch merchants in Nagasaki Bay, photography flourished in Japan
at the close of the Edo period. Artisans and
local officials ordered cameras from the merchants and slowly began to learn daguerreotype and wet plate photography. With the
start of the Meiji period and the promotion
of Western modernity, photography became
a newfound passion in Japan. Photographs
of this era mirrored ukiyo-es representational relationship with the Japanese tattoo.
This rapport persists today, as evidenced by
the surreal and striking art photography of
Masato Sudo. Focusing on tattoo and the
human form, Sudo invites cutting edge technology into a four hundred year dialogue.
As an art student, Masato Sudo (b. 1955)
concentrated his photographic work on long
haul trucks lavishly decorated by their drivers. While working on one of these studies,
Sudo encountered a driver with designs on
his body outdid those of his truck. Enamored
by such individualized, bodily expression,
Sudo built his career capturing the beauty of
the Japanese tattoo and its dynamic human
canvas. In 1985, Sudo released Ransho: Japanese Tattooing, a photographic exploration of
tebori (hand tattooing) done by Horiyoshi
1. The archival fresco pigment printing process was developed by the FL Tokuyama Corporation. http://www.fresco-g.com/english/
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ransho
Sudo explains that ransho begins with ancient, enduring Japanese culture. Skilled and dedicated
tattoo masters draw upon the designs of this past, engraving them only onto the fiercely courageous. As the artist tattoos his subject, he uses the ink to evoke the inner spirit of his human
canvas. Born of a union between the soul and exterior beauty, the tattoo shines through as an
impressive art of the flesh to be celebrated. One who wears a true full-body tattoo completed
by one of Japans great masters becomes a ransho, embodying the culture, spirituality and skill
behind the art form.
Sudos series Ransho is available individually or in a complete suite of 30 photographs.
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Fu (Mt. Fuji)
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Majiau (join)
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Nishiki (glory)
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Mure (herd)
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Kagamu (Bend)
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Hana (flower)
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Niramu (glare)
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Hisomu (hidden)
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Ha (leaves)
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Shin (core)
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Kumu (pile)
Itadaki (top)
Utsuru (reflection)
Masato Sudo (b. 1955)
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Narabu (queue)
To (collapse)
Yumi (bow)
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Kaku (expand)
So (A pair)
Mau (dance)
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Hyo (float)
Hama (beach)
Ninau (carry)
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Cho (tide)
Za (seat)
Jin (exceed)
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Utsu (strike)
Suji (line)
Shiboru (squeeze)
Ritsu (standing)
All works above: Ransho. Edition of 30. Signed Masato Sudo. Photograph (archival fresco pigment print). 16.75 x 12.5.
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Daniel Kelly
The traditional Japanese tattoo and its
associated aesthetics are hugely popular
outside of Japan. Masters of the traditional tebori (hand tattooing) technique
command enormous respect in the contemporary global tattoo community.
Though exceedingly popular abroad, this
popularity does not equal cultural acceptance in Japan. In the United States, tattooing is still other, but gains legitimacy
and exclusivity through the artistry, technical skill, time and subjection to pain. As
a contemporary American artist based in
Kyoto, Daniel Kelly (b. 1947) explores the
perception gap between American and
Japanese views of this art form. Through
his photorealistic prints and mixed media works he captures the Japanese tattoo
through the Western lens.
Born in Idaho Falls, Montana, Kelly is
a painter, printmaker and mixed media
artist. He studied at the University of
Portland and Portland State University.
Following graduation, Kelly moved to San
Francisco, working in glass and mosaics
before studying romantic-expressionist
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Madoka
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Wink
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I Am Not a Geisha
Daniel Kelly (b. 1947)
Medium: Mixed-media
(Lithograph, woodblock and hand coloring on Japanese mulberry paper
with chine-coll of ukiyo-e print)
Edition: 47/60
Date: 2006
Signature: Daniel Kelly
Size: 43 x 32
Ref. #: JPR5966
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GLOSSARY
Aku - evil, bad. Punitive tattoos emblazoned this Chinese character onto the foreheads of criminals.
Bodysuit A full-body tattoo that covers the torso, legs and arms. In traditional Japanese tattooing, the
bodysuit can take several specific patterns (i.e. see jinebeibori below).
Dogu - Clay figures dating to the Jomon period (10,000 - 300 BCE). The decorative patterns engraved on
the face and body suggest tattooing, though this theory is not conclusive.
Ehon - Illustrated book.
Floating world - Refers to the pleasure focused culture of Edos emergent middle class. Centered
in the kabuki theater and the yoshiwara, or pleasure district, this culture flourished during the Edo period.
Kumi - Branch, distinct factions of yakuza.
Hari - Needle(s) used in traditional Japanese hand tattooing. Made up of a bamboo rod with a needle attached the end with thread. For outlines, a single row of needles is used, for shading multiple rows are used.
In the 1980s, the traditional thread and bamboo hari were replaced with stainless steel rods and soldered
needles due to fear of bloodborne disease.
Hikeshi - Firemen. Likely due the immense danger and frequency of fires in Edo, firemen were
raised to heroic status and served as a popular subject in kabuki plays and ukiyo-e prints. They were usually
heavily tattooed with images of dragons, carp or other water symbols as protection from fire.
Horimono - Carved object. Tattooists of the mid-18th century used this term, rather than irezumi, to
distance their work from the brutal punitive tattoos of the time. Tattoo artists of this era referred to themselves as horishi. Some tebori masters today use this term.
Inked skin Skin bearing a tattoo.
Irebokuro - Engraved mole. Precursors to the decorative tattoo, irebokuro were symbols of commitment between lovers. These marks began in the pleasure quarters of Osaka and Kyoto in the mid-17th
century, but reached new levels in Edos pleasure district, the yoshiwara. Often shared between a courtesan
and her lover, an irebokuro was a tiny dot on the hand or a lovers name and the character for life tattooed
along on the inner arm.
Irezumi - The insertion of ink. Refers to traditional Japanese tattooing. This term held punitive connotations during the Edo period, but today it has largely shed this particular association.
Irozumi - Tattoos that used white lead as tattooing pigment. They would normally be nearly invisible, but
would appear when the skin became reddened from drinking or blushing. These playful tattoos became
popular around the same time as irebokuro.
Jinbeibori - Full body tattoo, designed such that it will be completely covered when one wears a jinbei, an
open-front, summer kimono.
Kakejiku - Traditional Japanese silk scroll.
Kisshobori - Pledge marks. A precursor to the decorative tattoo. Often parts of sutras or prayers, these
tattoos indicated a commitment to Buddhism or a promise to oneself. Today people get kisshobori for this
second meaning (ex. For courage).
Kumadori - Makeup used for colored lines on face, arms and legs of Kabuki actors. While mainly reserved
for aragoto or rough style roles, kumadori was also used to paint tattoos on actors skin.
Oni - These demonic, supernatural creatures take four forms: Earthly evil deities against a heavenly god,
menacing creatures from classic legends, dangerous and frightening supernatural apparitions or evil taking
the form of beautiful men or women.
Oni-azami - Thistle
Otokodate - Heavily tattooed street knights, considered themselves champions of the common people,
but were largely just ruffians. Challenged corrupt samurai and fought for justice. An otokodate usually carried one sword, instead the traditional two of the samurai, wore a kimono and was often depicted with a
flute.
Shichibori - Traditional tattoo format. Chest panel with 2/3rd length arm pieces.
Shunga Erotic, often humorous, Japanese art that usually takes the form of woodblock prints.
Skin The canvas of the tattoo artist.
Suikoden - Japanese adaptation of the 14th century Chinese classic, Shuihuzhuan (Stories
of the Water Margin). In 1805, Takizawa Bakin presented his translation, New Illustrated Edition of the
Suikoden, and incited a mania in Edo. This tale of 108 bandit warriors stressed camaraderie and loyalty as
each warrior operated on their own code of justice. The Suikoden inspired prints, plays and tattoos, often
serving as the main point of intersection between these popular arts.
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Irezumi TIMELINE
10,000 -
Jomon clay figures suggest early tattooing through decorative patterns on the face and body,
300 BCE though these theories are not conclusive
265 BCE
Chinese records show that the Wa, the ancient people of Japan, decorate their bodies and
faces with designs to indicate rank
600s AD
Introduction of Confucianism to Japan instigates the stigmatization of the tattoo through the
idea of body as inheritance (filial impiety to change the body)
Early 1600s Tattoo is cause for ostracization by family and community
Edo period begins in 1603
1700
Shift from solely punitive to decorative tattooing; beginning of irebokuro
Irezumi flourishes amongst the lower classes (firemen, craftsman)
1720
Last Shogunal sanction of punitive tattooing
c. 1750s
Tattoo becomes a symbol of resistance against the Tokugawa rule
1804-1818
Edict against tattoos, yet tattooing continues in secret
1805
Takizawa Bakin releases his Suikoden and inspires countless prints, plays and tattoos
c. 1850s
Tattoo machine invented in the U.S.
Rapid proliferation of ink diminishes with arrival of foreign ships
1867
Emperor returns to power
1868
Edo period ends, Meiji period begins with the arrival of Westerners
1872
Meiji Government bans tattooing, but foreigners can be tattooed by Japanese tattoo artists
1880 & 1908 Crackdowns on tattooing by Japanese government
1945
Japans surrender and beginning of Allied Occupation; East-West tattooing exchange begins
c. 1950s
Tattoo machine introduced in Japan; allows greater detail, but does not replace tebori
1948
General Douglas MacArthur legalizes tattooing
1970s
High point of tattooing amongst Japans criminal class (yakuza)
1980s
Horiyoshi III revitalizes traditional Japanese tattoos
Fear of communicable disease prompts the introduction of latex gloves, stainless steel hari and
single-use ink caps to traditional Japanese hand-tattooing
1990s
Economic recession and implementation of the Act for the Prevention of Unlawful Activities
prompts tattoo clientele to go from 99% yakuza to 50% average citizen
2013
Osaka mayor removes tattooed civil servants from jobs requiring contact with residents
2014
Maori scholar turned away from hot springs in Ishikari, Hokkaido for her tribal tattoos
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Associated Press. Tattoo Ban at Bathhouses Raises Concern in Japan.Ajw.asahi.com. The Asahi Shimbun, 14
Sep. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2015.
2. Fellman, Sandi, and D. M. Thomas. The Japanese Tattoo. New York: Abbeville, 1986. Print.
3. Fresco Giclee. FL Tokuyama Corporation, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2015. http://www.fresco-g.com/english/
4. Hendry, Joy, and Massimo Raveri. Japan at Play: The Ludic and Logic of Power. London: Routledge, 2002. Print
5. Horiyoshi III. 100 Demons of Horiyoshi III. Japan: Yoshihito Nakano, 1998. Print.
6. Keyes, Roger S., and George Kuwayama. The Bizarre Imagery of Yoshitoshi: The Herbert R. Cole Collection.
Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1980. Print.
7. Kitamura, Takahiro, and Katie M. Kitamura. Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo. Atglen, PA: Schiffer,
2000. Print.
8. Kitamura, Takahiro. Tattoos of the Floating World: Ukiyo-e Motifs in the Japanese Tattoo. Amsterdam: KIT
Pub., 2007. Print.
9. Mitchell, Jon. Japan Inked: Should the Country Reclaim Its Tattoo Culture? Japan Times. Japan Times, 03 May
2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
10. Mitchell, Jon. Japans Solitary Ode to Ink. Japan Times. Japan Times, 03 May 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
11. Mitchell, John. Loved Abroad, Hated at Home: The Art of Japanese Tattooing. Japan Times. Japan Times, 03
Mar. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
12. Okazaki, Manami. Japanese Tattoo Art Carves Its Mark in the Mainstream. Japan Times. Japan Times,
6 Sept. 2007. Web.
13. Okazaki, Manami. Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo. Hong Kong: Kingyo, 2013. Print.
14. Richie, Donald, and Ian Buruma. The Japanese Tattoo. New York: Weatherhill, 1980. Print.
15. Sekiguchi, Toko. Taking the Stink Out of Ink. Japan Real Time. Wall Street Journal, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 13
Jan. 2015.
16. Uhlenbeck, Chris, Amy Reigle. Newland, Ed Freis, and Yoshitoshi Taiso. Yoshitoshi: Masterpieces from the
Ed Freis Collection. Leiden: Hotei, 2011. Print.
17. Van Gulik, Willem R. Irezumi: The Pattern of Dermatography in Japan. Leiden: Rijksmuseum Voor
Volkenkunde, 1982. Print.
18. Yamada, Mieko. Westernization and Cultural Resistance of Tattooing Practices in Contemporary Japan.
International Journal of Cultural Studies.12 (4), Sage Publications, 2014. Print, 319-338.
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