Great works of art are timeless, transcending the artists who created them. Think about paintings like Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Van Gogh’s Starry Night—they're permanently embedded into our memories. Their beauty and cultural significance inspires us in our everyday lives and often in ways you might not expect. As tattoos grow increasingly popular, people are using their skin to honor art history.
From classical busts to bold cartoons, these types of tattoos run the gamut in subject matter. Some are by-the-book interpretations of an artwork while others take creative liberties. In one version of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, tattooist Rita Zolotukhina depicts it with incredible accuracy. Others, like Oozy, alter their sources. On his client’s chest, the Seoul-based tattoo artist has visually fractured some of Da Vinci’s greatest works. The result is a stunning fusion of history and modernity, all contained on the skin.
Check out 29 of these museum-worthy tattoos, below. Which ones are your favorites?
