Untitled © Akimitsu Takagi, courtesy of Pascal Bagot.
It is well-known for the novel. Irezumi (1948), which sold several hundred thousand copies, Akimitsu Takagi—born in 1920 as Seiichi Takagi—made a mark on the world of crime novels in the Showa era. Although tattooing is central to his writing, the author’s photographic archives offer a unique record of this universe, especially the position occupied by women, away from the stereotypes.
It was discovered by a French journalist and expert in Japanese tattooing. Pascal Bagot during a meeting with Akiko Takagi, Akimitsu’s daughter, these archives were unveiled in 2022 in the book The Tattoo WriterThe collection contains 130 medium-format images.
Collaboration and collaboration in history and work
Akimitsu Takagi’s passion for tattooing, those involved with it and its enthusiasts echoes his own story. When a young boy, he was fascinated by the picture of a tattooed girl in a bath. He became closer to this world and made friends in it while completing the research for his novels.
Photographs of the best tattoo artists of all time were taken between 1955-1965. They present the tattoos done on clients’ bodies, and also those that adorn the members of the Edo Choyukai, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) clubs of tattooed individuals, and in various contexts, including outdoor gatherings.
To produce The Tattoo Writer The English and French versions of the book include photographs that were scanned from original negatives. This project was possible thanks to a crowdfunding campaign. The book includes statements from Akiko Takagi, Akimitsu’s daughter, and Gérald Peloux, a French academic who specialises in the history of crime literature in Japan.
Pascal Bagot directed a documentary about the topic. La voie de l’encre (‘The Way of the Ink’) (2009). He was the scientific advisor to the exhibition in 2014. Tatoueurs, tatoués (‘Tattooists, Tattoed’) that was held at the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris.
The Tattoo Writer 2022, a book of photos by Akimitsu Taagi and edited by Pascal Bagot.
Untitled © Akimitsu Takagi, courtesy of Pascal Bagot.
Untitled © Akimitsu Takagi, courtesy of Pascal Bagot.
Untitled © Akimitsu Takagi, courtesy of Pascal Bagot.
Self-portrait © Akimitsu Takagi, courtesy of Pascal Bagot.
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