Descrição
This essay seeks to analyze the production and dissemination of devotional tattoos in Early Modern times, focusing on the Italian case. It explores the details of their functions and meanings, and their intellectual reception. Nineteenth century theories stated that tattoos appeared in Europe only after the travels of Cook and Bouganville to savage Polynesia. There are many reasons to state that tattoos never disappeared in Italy though. In the Roman Empire tattoo was considered «an indelible mark of infamy», while «tattooing of the whole body», was known as the «barbarian» custom. Between the fourth and the fifth century, the world of Christianity witnessed a progressive subversion of meanings originally approved for that practice of tattoo, by externalizing the signs of pain, transforming the figure of infamy in the patent expression of faith. Despite ambiguous attitude of Catholic authorities towards tattooing, this practice was a public ritual and this publicity was continually reiterated, revealing a social belonging.||Este ensayo pretende analizar la producción y difusión de los tatuajes devocionales en la Edad Moderna, con especial atención a Italia. Explora los detalles sobre sus funciones y significados, así como su recepción intelectual. Las teorías decimonónicas situaban la aparición de los tatuajes en Europa en un contexto posterior a los viajes de Cook y Bouganville a la Polinesia salvaje. Sin embargo, hay muchos motivos para creer que los tatuajes nunca desaparecieron de Italia. En tiempos del imperio romano el tatuaje fue considerado una «señal de infamia» y tatuarse el cuerpo, una práctica «bárbara». Entre los siglos IV y V, el cristianismo fue testigo de una progresiva transformación de los significados originalmente atribuidos a los tatuajes: se vivió un proceso de externalización de las señales del dolor y de transformación de la original infamia en una expresión de fe. Pese a las actitudes ambiguas que siempre mostraron las autoridades católicas hacia el tatuaje, esta práctica se convirtió en una ritual público y su visibilidad fue perpetuada, revelando un sentido identitario de pertenencia a un grupo.This essay seeks to analyze the production and dissemination of devotional tattoos in Early Modern times, focusing on the Italian case. It explores the details of their functions and meanings, and their intellectual reception. Nineteenth century theories stated that tattoos appeared in Europe only after the travels of Cook and Bouganville to savage Polynesia. There are many reasons to state that tattoos never disappeared in Italy though. In the Roman Empire tattoo was considered «an indelible mark of infamy», while «tattooing of the whole body», was known as the «barbarian» custom. Between the fourth and the fifth century, the world of Christianity witnessed a progressive subversion of meanings originally approved for that practice of tattoo, by externalizing the signs of pain, transforming the figure of infamy in the patent expression of faith. Despite ambiguous attitude of Catholic authorities towards tattooing, this practice was a public ritual and this publicity was continually reiterated, revealing a social belonging.
