The rich, overlooked legacy of Western tattooing as a professionalized art form. Historian Matt Lodder challenges stereotypes, tracing tattoo culture from 19th-century pioneers like Martin Hildebrandt to modern icons like Ed Hardy.

Featuring rare photographs, archival art, and profiles of groundbreaking artists - including women trailblazers Grace Bell and Jessie Knight - this book redefines tattooing's place in art history. A must-read for ink enthusiasts and cultural historians alike, it's the first definitive study of tattooing as both craft and high art.