The Ghost and the Sailor – History of Tattoos

The most typical tattooed person in Finland a few decades ago was a sailor. Prisoners who were out in civilian life also stood out in the streets because of their tattoos. If anyone else carried permanent images on their skin, the tattoos were rarely visible beneath their clothing. The practice of tattooing the neck, hands, and face has become more common in Finland only over the past twenty years.

Actual tattoo parlours arrived in Finland in the 1980s. Before that, tattooing techniques remained the secret of a select few. The boldest traveled to Copenhagen to visit the nearest official and well-known tattoo shop. For Finnish sailors, Copenhagen’s Nyhavn was indeed something of a pilgrimage site for acquiring tattoos.

The Ghost and the Sailor exhibition is based on the collection of William “Willy” Robinson, a world citizen and a Brit born in Germany. Over the years, Robinson has gathered objects from thousands of tattoo studios around the world. The result is the world’s largest collection of tattoo-related items and artworks, part of which is on display at Robinson’s Tattoo Museum in Leppävirta, Finland.

The other founder of Robinson’s Tattoo Museum, Janne Penttinen, began studying the history of tattooing back in the previous millennium. Penttinen has written most of the exhibition texts. Information about the objects has been provided by William Robinson.

Tattooing is still surrounded by a sense of mystique and even superstitious beliefs. The entire field was once regarded as semi-legal and questionable. Nevertheless, an astonishing number of people around the world carry ink on their skin.

The Ghost and the Sailor – History of Tattoos
18 February–27 September 2026
Riihisaari – Savonlinna Museum