AristocrAtic VictoriAn women who

collected tAttoos

Tess Goodwin

disciplines

• Psychology• Sociology• Gender Studies

how did this trend stArt?

• Sir Joseph Banks returned from a voyage to Polynesia with a tattoo and showed the British court

• Set a trend of royals getting tattoos• Harmsworth magazine said it was not

uncommon for members of social elite to gather in drawing rooms after dinner parties to show their tattoos

• Rumored that Queen Victoria herself had a tattoo

Tattooed Women

why do people get tAttoos?

• “Reclaim body” fantasy

• “Perfect body” fantasy

• Often if one is unsatisfied with results of previous modification, might seek out changes that are more extreme or risky

• S&M

British loVed tAttoos

why were upper clAss VictoriAn women

susceptiBle to this trend?• Set them apart from the other classes

• Already used to pleasure/pain dichotomy• Used tattooing to rebel against society and

“reclaim” their body (everyday or trauma)• Create a sense of community with women who

have shared experiences• To become even more of a sexual object to be

gazed upon (S&M inherent in society)

how did their fAshions effect their desire to Be tAttooed?

Tight-LacingCRINOLINES

why they did it According to “reVolting Bodies: the

monster BeAuty of tAttooed women”

• Primitive excitement

• Let them be free like working women

• Trendy, “Colonialist chic”

• Came from Europe so Americans thought it was “exotic”

sexuAlity & sAdo- mAsochism

• Pleasure/Pain from Corsets, restrictions and tattoos

• With Corsets, it is placed upon the women, tattoos, however are by choice

• Tight Lacing involves their husband, Tattoos involved them and another man

Questions still to Be Answered?

• How long did the trend last?• How were women allowed to show that

much of their flesh to a man who was not their husband?

• Were these women the young mistresses or wives of upper class men or their “proper” wives?

• Did they get tattoos to compete with other women or to please men?

Questions/comments