We see them everyday: skull and rose tattoos. Skulls have appeared in several forms of art for centuries (as have roses). Together they make for a beautiful design and we’ve put together a collection of skull and rose tattoo designs in a variety of tattoo styles, with a dash of art history for shits and giggles.
Archeologists have discovered that skulls were used as decoration as early as 7200 BC in the Middle East. This predates writing, so there’s no way of knowing what they symbolized at the time. The takeaway here is that mankind has pretty much seen skulls as badass since, well, mankind.
Roses have also inspired a variety of artists in many art forms throughout history. They appear as symbols in mythology, religions, poetry, paintings, and more.
The skull and rose together makes for a beautiful piece of art. While the skull and rose is a popular tattoo, when you get one by a truly talented tattoo artist (emphasis on artist ), you don’t just walk away with a unique design: you have an amazing piece of art.
Hopefully these perfect skull tattoos inspire you to seek a tattoo artists who truly views tattooing as an art form, not a job. Do not take these photos and ask for replications, let these pictures serve a source of *inspiration*. Respect the individuality of art.