The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29
New York Cotton Market.
THE TATTooING PRACTICE.
Two Artists Who Excel in Adorn
ing Human nodfes

! From the New York Commercial Advertser)
! In England and America today tattoOing
| has become fine art, in which two of its
| professors at least have attained an ex-
! cellence that has occasioned much COM
ment from the French press Tattooing
| has been practiced for generations by
/ races of the most widely divergent ethni-
! cal characteristics. Savage and civilized
| peoples, the Laplander. like the redskin
and the negro, furnish striking examples
| of this fact. The custom had at first di-
verse objects, and was frequently used as
| simple religious ceremony during the
Middle Ages by the Christian as well as
the pagan world. The simple cross that
was tattooed upon the pilgrims arm at
various shrines gradually developed into
| some religious painting Mr. Sutherland
Macdonald achieved marvellous success in
| this branch with his copy of the Veronica
| Christ head, in which he has reproduced
| the agony of expression with marvellous
| fidelity.
Tattooing was, however, more frequently
employed a means of ornamental N,
and ii is this characteristic which it has
retained today among civilized nations
1t is worthy of comment that wherever t
is practiced it is confined almost exclu-
siveiy to the male sex. In the Samoan
islands the men alone are decorated in
this fashion. while the chiefs in the Poly
nesan archipelago are covered from he
to foot with graceful arabesques, their
women allow their hands only to be tat
tooed, somewhat in the fashion of a glove
or a mitten.
Formerly tattGoing was resorted to sole
ly by those who desired 20 exhibit them
selves in public museums. etc. and the
Ridley brothers were at one time consid-
cred the sole experts In this art But the
exquisite nnish OF some of the designs
have attracted many of the richer classes
as in London. where nearly all the nobili-
ty passed through the hands of the tattooer
before embarking for the Transvaal A
crest, the regimental insignia and St.
George ana the dragon being the favorite
designs.
The vogue thus given in America to tat
toring is due mainly to the efforts of Hori
Chyo, Japanese native of Yokohama who
has settled in New York He combines
various shades of brown with the deem
blues and reds of the earlier days. and.
THANKS TO his knowledge of the rules of
perspective, has produced some beautiful
work. He excels in animal painting if the
term be allowed in this sense. one Of his
attendants bearing on his forehead il is
said, lizard so lifelike in appearance that
80 fly dare approach ii. Hori Chyo boasts
one royal parsonage among his clients the
pa tStHh 'Sei VI INHSold having VISITED MIN
during his Oriental tour before his acces-
sion to the throne. HOri Chyo's studio is
open TO all visitors. whether they come as
clients or merely as spectators OF his dex-
terity in handling the sharp stylets With
nervous patients he uses a hypodermic
syringe. which reduces the pain TO the
mere sensation Of scratch.
Mr.. Macdonald of London. however. en-
joys he distinction OF having brought the
art of tattooing to the highest degree OF
perfection yet achieved. He has perfect
ed a system OF colering by means of which |
he introduces magnificent blues and greens
into his work with delightful effect, and |
Is at present experimenting with yellow
and blush lavender when he will have all |
the colors of the rainbow at his command. !
HIS stylets are of the finest tempered |
steel and he uses the most approved anti |
septic precautions that modern science |
has placed at his disposal. He has just |
patented an electrical appliance by means |
of which he works five times more rapidly. |
and it may be added with infinitely less |
suffering as the result.
Among his many celebrated clients he |
counts the Marquis of Salisbury's son. the
Duke of York Princess Christian of Den
mark, Victor Won Hohenlohe and Vladimir
Orloff, of St Petersburg