The Hidden Stories of Tattooing: Dr. Matt Lodder on Tattoos in Photography and Society

The Photo Detective

Dr. Matt Lodder discusses his book Painted People: 5,000 Years of Tattooed History on The Photo Detective podcast.

• Focuses on tattoo history post-photography, noting tattoos often didn’t show up in early photos.
• Tattoos were private, often hidden under clothing, and not commonly photographed.
• Lodder's interest in tattoos started from family stories about his grandfather and great-grandmother’s tattoos.
• His research bridges common sailor tattoos with lesser-known tattoos on women and the middle class.
• Tattooing has a rich history, including 19th-century European aristocracy and tattoo tourism in Japan.
• He addresses common misconceptions: tattooing’s exclusivity to sailors/criminals and its introduction to Europe by Captain Cook.
• Lodder highlights tattooing’s historical continuity and its representation in art.
• The discussion covers various historical anecdotes and the evolution of color in tattoos.

Related Episodes:
Episode 210: The Dress Diary of Anne Sykes with Historian Dr. Kate Strasdin

Episode 215: The Story Behind Twentieth Century Skirts with Dr. Kimberly Chrisman Campbell

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About My Guest:
Dr. Matt Lodder is an academic, writer, curator, and broadcaster. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Art History and Theory and Director of American Studies at the University of Essex. He teaches European, American, and Japanese art, architecture, visual culture, and theory from the late 19th century to the present. His research primarily concerns the application of art-historical methods to the history of tattooing from the 17th century to the present day, with a principal focus on the professional era in the West from the 1880s onwards. Matt curated “Tattoo London” at the Museum of London in 2016. His latest major exhibition, “British Tattoo Art Revealed,” began at the National Maritime Museum Falmouth in March 2017 and toured through to 2021. He also served as the presenter of the landmark television series “Art of Museums,” which aired across Europe and beyond in late 2018 and early 2019. His first book, Painted People: Humanity in 21 Tattoos (HarperCollins), was published in 2022

About Maureen Taylor:
Maureen Taylor, The Photo DetectiveÒhelps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street Journal and appearances on The View, The Today Show, Pawn Stars, and others. Learn more at Mau

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

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