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Tattoo Inspirations from the Library Collection

by State Library of NSW

Explore 30 designs to inspire your next tattoo, ranging from Australian botanicals and wildlife, to symbolism, nautical imagery, mythical creatures and more. Find more in our digital collections: collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/digital

31 photos · 970 views
Moths - Chelepteryx Collesi, From Nature, drawings by Harriet Scott
Snake - Acanthophis viridis, P.H.F. Phelps, Native Scenes, 1840-1849
Herbals - Henry Lyte Esquyer, A nievve herbal
Ornamental - Edmund Thomas Blacket, Architectural ornaments, collection of architectural plans and drawings, ca. 1840-1915
Anchor - Collection of flour bag label prints, 1930s
Dog - Dr James McLeod drawings and sketches, 1900-1925
Birds - Large tropical Pigeons/Black Cockatoos, Original watercolour drawings for the publication The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds, 1978-1985
Botanicals (NSW) - Acacia longifolia, John Lewin, Botanical sketches of Australian plants, 1803-1806
Cat - Dr James McLeod drawings and sketches, 1900-1925
Vase - Butterfly and dragonfly, Chinese paintings album owned by David Scott Mitchell
Butterflies - Symphaedra dirtea and Ornithoptera brookeana, J. E. Tenison-Woods
Botanicals (traditional) - Bouquet of flowers (morning glory, tulip, peony, and cyclamen), watercolour by Mary Anne Scott
Reading - Constance Robertson, Ella Dwyer collection of bookplates
Skull - Van Demon's Land : 5 souls, drawing, by unknown 1850?
Skeleton - Thomas Rowlandson, The English dance of death, 1815-1816
Tattooed Marquesan man in Tahiti,, watercolour, 1844-49
Botanicals (natives) - Waratah, Edward William Minchen
Fan - Designs submitted to John Sands Christmas cards competition, 1881
Botanicals (NSW) -Drawings of plants of New South Wales
Dragon - Charles Gould, Mythical Monsters, 1886
Fairy - Simpson's book of kitchen magic., 1933?
Symbols - Francesco Colonna, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili , 1499
Letters - Henry Noel Humphreys, The origin and progress of the art of writing, 1853
Fish - Arthur Adams, Drawings made while on H.M.S. Samarang, 1841-1845
Botanicals (NSW) -Drawings of plants of New South Wales