Gothic Fairy tattoos have increased in popularity in line with the resurgence of Gothic art across Europe and the United States.
Fairies are spiritual entities, or nature beings, of the metaphysical world, with magical powers of enchantment, who were widely patronised in medieval Europe and the Middle East, and are depicted in a variety of fascinating shapes and characteristics, making them a hit with the public, including popular figures like Britney Spears, who spots a Gothic fairy tattoo, and Alyssa Milano, an actress from "Who's Your Boss", who has a beautiful fairy tattoo on her stomach.
Some fairies are angelic in conceptualization and art, while others take on a more impish character, as seen by
- pixies, which are mythical creatures whose features consist of pointed eyes and ears, and green apparel worn with pointed hats, and
- goblins, the legendary mischievous entities credited with various powers and mysterious abilities, and mostly depicted as brown or green.
Gothic Fairy tattoos often represent these figures as winged creatures, with a human-like appearance, similar to the way they were regarded in the Gothic Middle Ages starting from the 12th century and ending in the 14th.
Gothic fairy tattoos are derived from the religious artwork that flourished in that age, with several memorable pieces in the modern age produced to reflect the artistic conventions of the period.
The rise of Christianity saw Gothic art incorporated into religious imagery, with church architecture, paintings, and sculpture at the forefront of the artistic adaptation.
However, many modern renditions of Gothic Fairy tattoos hark back to non-Christian Gothic traditions, characterised by the alluring imagery of medieval Gothic art forms of early nature spirits. That said, it is important to appreciate that both these strains of Gothic tattoos are of the same unique Gothic heritage.
Modern tattoo artists tend to depict fairies as young, often winged, human-like beings of small stature. But they were represented in the Middle Ages as either tall and radiant, or as magically minimised to intelligent humanoid creatures often as tiny as insects.
Fairy tattoo designs vary in form, size and temperament. They can be small or large, colorful or grey, happy or doleful, cute or menacing.
I've always thought a lone fairy tattoo on the upper arm or ankle makes for a classy, understated design.
