Events

Gaze at “Tattoos in Japanese Prints” at the MFA

“Tattoos in Japanese Prints” features nearly 80 works by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, a great ukiyo-e master, and his contemporaries.

"Tatoos in Japanese Prints" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. MFA Boston

1 minute to read

A colorful dragon thrashing, a field of bright peonies, a sneaky snake. Think of this modern ink, and you’re actually giving props to a long-ago artform that began on wood, not skin. Translation: 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) are credited for today’s pictorial tats. “Tattoos in Japanese Prints” features nearly 80 works by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, a great ukiyo-e master, and his contemporaries. Running November 20 through February 20, 2022, and drawn from The Museum of Fine Arts’ renowned Japanese art collection, the exhibit explains the path this body art took, from the streets of early 19th century Japan into 21st century tattoo shops around the globe. Find your own ink inspiration among prints from Kuniyoshi’s Chinese tale One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Water Margin, with heroic outlaws covered in body art (think fearsome lions, supernatural beings, peonies, dragons).

Kevin Slane

Staff Writer

Kevin Slane is a staff writer for Boston.com covering entertainment and culture. His work focuses on movie reviews, streaming guides, celebrities, and things to do in Boston.