Whether written or historically noted, tattoo has at times been restricted to elitist culture. Often this group taking from the primitive form through their encounters with other cultures. It has been noted that after contact with early Japanese culture, royalty choose to incorporate the art form within their own body decoration, and/or aesthetic value system. These symbols were suddenly transformed into status symbols. This transformation is important to note and discuss due to the political consequences it has to present-day social values.

It often amazes people when they hear that people such as, King George V, King Oscar of Sweden, Sir Winston Churchill's mother, Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, and even King Harold were tattooed. While this portion of society is small thier influences have prevailed in establishing mainstream ideology. Tattoo, was at one time, a very expensive and unavailable form of art to mainstream society, which enforced the attraction of the elite’s to it.

After the art form transformed yet again, with the introduction of electric tattooing, the prices of tattoo dropped and became more available to the common man or women. At this time the art seemed to leave the elitist, who had suddenly lost their attraction to the art form.

This transformation from the elitist art to common art, lead tattoo to be related to the lower classes of society. The troubled people or those who traveled with the circus often displayed tattoo, and were associated extravagant facial designs, full body suits, and sometimes-freakish patterns, which transformed the meaning of this art once again.

Copyright ©1998 William Craig Taylor

Asian History....................................Early American History

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