Peter Blake U.K., 1932

Peter Blake's portrait depicting a heavily inked man reflects his fascination with outsider figures and popular culture. The work relates to the artist's larger series exploring wrestlers and tattooed individuals, reflecting his lifelong interest in characters existing on the fringes of society. 'Tattooed Man' draws inspiration from Blake's childhood experiences attending wrestling matches and his interest in subcultures. It represents a continuation of Blake's Pop Art aesthetic, blending elements of traditional portraiture with contemporary cultural iconography. Blake's studies of his famous 'Tattooed Man' series are now held in museum collections, including MoMA in New York and the British Museum in London.