Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos

This tattoo was submitted by Daphne, who says: "My tattoo is a quote by Gandhi that I saw on the wall of his ashram in Ahmedabad."

Gandhi tattoo

"My life is my message."

- Gandhi

Rocking-Horse-Fly

Brigette says:

I have a tattoo very closely based on the original rocking-horse fly illustration from Through the Looking Glass (1871), the sequel to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. John Tenniel was the illustrator; these prints were made with woodblocks.

Photo from her tattoo artist's portfolio:

"Well, there's the Horse-fly," Alice began, counting off the names on her fingers.

"All right," said the Gnat: "half way up that bush, you'll see a Rocking-horse-fly, if you look. It's made entirely of wood, and gets about by swinging itself from branch to branch."

"What does it live on?" Alice asked, with great curiosity.

"Sap and sawdust," said the Gnat. "Go on with the list."

Alice looked up at the Rocking-horse-fly with great interest, and made up her mind that it must have been just repainted, it looked so bright and sticky; and then she went on.

- Excerpt from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

 

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