I was talking to my friend about this book yesterday at lunch so I decided to revisit it today. This is the third volume of a collection of Russian criminal’s tattoos. According to Wikipedia “Russian criminal tattoos have a complex system of symbols which can give quite detailed information about the wearer. Not only do the symbols carry meaning but the area of the body on which they are placed may be meaningful too. The initiation tattoo of a new gang member is usually placed on the chest and may incorporate a rose. A rose on the chest is also used within the Russian Mafia. Wearing false or unearned tattoos is punishable by death in the criminal underworld.” That reminds me of that movie Eastern Promises. Apparently Viggo Mortenson came across the first volume of this book and that’s where the inspiration for his 43 tattoos came from. Danzig Baldaev, now deceased, documented over three thousand tattoos in photographs and drawings during his job as a prison guard. The three books are his collection complete with text explaining the motifs, translating the Russian and giving historical reference. The tattoos are pretty insane varying from political statements and anti-semetic designs to pornographic drawings and homosexual markers. The first two volumes of this series are completely sold out. They are in such high demand, people are selling them for up to three hundred dollars on Amazon, that they are going to print second editions which will be out later this year. Pick up number III here.

© Julia Rothman 2007