Tattoo History - Charles Wagner

One of the most talented and productive tattoo artists of early america was the from Baden in Germany deriving, since 1880 in New York living, Charles Wagner. Wagner grew up in the economically expanding Big Apple surrounded by a vast variety of technical inventions made at the turn of the century like electrical light, cars, radios, airplanes and the tattoo machine.

Wagner was interested in tattooing since 1887, ever since he was able to gaze the tattoo miracle Prince Constantin in Phineas T. Barnum's curiosities cabinet the American Museum. Impressed by the 388 images on Prince Constantin's skin Wagner got himself some ink and a needle and started tattooing in a tailoring where he was working as a night watchmen. "I had the ability to draw very well and always good with people. Around noon I went down to the pier on third street and made the sailors my customers. At night I took them with me to the tailoring and tattooed them. Well, that was the beginning of my career."

After a couple of years he quit his work as a night watchmen and became an apprentice with Samuel O'Reilly. Together with O'Reilly he decorated La Belle Irene, the first woman ever to display herself at fairs. When O'Reilly died in 1908, Wagner took over the shop and tattooed countless people during the following years including over fifty circus and sideshow curiosities. But also fine and exclusive ladies and gentlemen were his customers. Photographs often show Wagner dressed up with suit, fly and hat while tattooing elegant society ladies.

Wagner saw about innovations all through his life. He was the first american tattoo artist to successfully apply cosmetic tattoos on female lips, cheeks and eye brows. His specialties also were large motive and full body images. Wagner was a perfected freehand artists and proved his skills in combining small images to one complete picture. Another one of his specialties were religious motive with very fine shadings. When he died he was considered the icon of tattoo future and as most influencing tattoo artist on traditional tattoos. The crosses, flags, hearts, dragons and sailing boats he preferred doing symbolized an uncontrolled expression of profound and simple emotions: faith, patriotism, loyalty, love and courage.

His motives and images were popular during his lifetime. Thousands of people were carrying his pictures in their skin and many other tattoo artists adopted his motives and varied them. Art historians never took notice of Wagner's work and his drawing were never exposed in art galleries or museums. He tattooed until the high age of 75 years. Thanks to his initiative tattoos are applied on dogs and horses for identification purposes. Wagner also experimented with chemicals for tattoo removal and tried treating rheumatism and other skin and bone diseases by tattooing the affected body part with the tattoo machine but without any ink.

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