#the bowery
Tattoo artist, the Bowery, 1940.
Just to the right of the man’s hat is a sign saying, “Black eyes made natural.” This was a sub-specialty of tattoo artists near the docks. Men who worked there often got into bar fights, and when they went to the docks the next day to be chosen as day workers, bosses would pass over those with black eyes as potential troublemakers.
Photo: Andreas Feininger via International Center for Photography
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