If you were thinking about getting a tattoo, fruit might not be the first thing to cross your mind. However, a grapes tattoo can symbolize so much more than just an affinity for the food that creates wine.
Grapes tattoos have a plethora of meanings from eternal life to ecstasy and can serve as a reminder to live life to the fullest and enjoy every second.
In this article, we will review the history of grapes tattoos, what they symbolize, the different characteristics and styles that are popular, as well as the typical body placement of these tattoos.
What Is the History of Grapes Tattoos?
It’s difficult to pinpoint when grapes first became a popular tattoo option, but it was certainly not a common symbol to find in body art before tattooing became a form of self expression. While other pictorials such as crosses, birds, and anchors were used for the purpose of identifying an individual as belonging to a certain religion, military group, or even criminal sector, grapes were not numbered among these.
Since grapes have a broader symbolism than designation to any one group of people, they became popular as early as the mid-20th century when body art gained more and more traction, especially in Western cultures.
Artists began to venture from the canvas on their easels to the canvas of their skin and some found the appeal of a subtle and simple reminder of the goodness of life such as that portrayed by a bunch of grapes.
What Do Grapes Tattoos Symbolize?
Grapes tattoos can represent many different things – mostly positive associations with the gift of life and all it has to offer. Grapes are typically connected with the Greek god Dionysus who was the god of wine.
Those with an affinity for Greek mythology may incorporate grapes into their tattoo design to pay homage to the god of ecstasy.
Typically, grapes are also connected with other historical occurrences and can symbolize eternal life and resurrection as the grapes that were turned into wine for the Last Supper. Alternatively, grapes can also refer to fertility – this fruit bears the symbol of life from the beginning possibilities all the way to everlasting potential to conquer death.
No matter what culture or religion you look to, grapes represent an abundance of life – a life lived to the fullest, life everlasting, the ability to create life, and the joy that life has to offer within every second.
What Do Grapes Tattoos Mean?
Grapes tattoos not only symbolize life in the many ways that it can be abundant and overflowing, but also they can indicate certain characteristics and aspects of life that you might strive for or want to display.
Strength, joy, pleasure, power, fulfillment, faith, sacrifice, and sharing are all notable meanings of grapes tattoos.
If you want to show the strength and power of your relationship with another person, you can get matching grapes tattoos to emphasize this. Nothing says you enjoy life more than a tattoo with the fruit of wine on it.
For those who are filled with faith and understand that in order to create the goodness of wine you must sacrifice the grapes, this hidden meaning can be the perfect piece of art for your skin. It can spark quite the conversation, especially if you leave it on display for others to see and admire.
Characteristics and Styles of Grapes Tattoos
Grapes can appear in a number of different styles and characteristic in a tattoo. If incorporated into a mandala along with an auspicious number such as eleven, the combined symbolism can mean abundance of harvest and bountiful joy. If the grapes are set in a geometric pattern, they can show the meaning the fertility.
Some grapes can be drawn realistically or artistically. Grapes modeled in a rustic Italian manner are common for those who have an affinity for European art and culture. Different colors can symbolize different things, although red, green, purple, and black are the most common variations you will find.
Some choose to use the grapes in their tattoos as a canvas within a canvas and portray other pictures within each individual fruit. They can be depicted by themselves or alongside other foods, most commonly other fruits and vegetables, with bread, or beside a cup of wine.
Where Do Grapes Tattoos Usually Go?
There are many options for placement of grapes tattoos; however, they are usually put on display instead of hidden behind pieces of clothing. For that reason, the forearm or the bicep are the two most common places to find them. This is a common indication of strength of arms and can be nicely incorporated in a sleeve.
Since they can be as large or small as you’d like, some people will have small ones on the backs of their necks or wrists and large ones covering their upper arms.
This type of tattoo is meant to show the world a desire for something or display a strength you already possess. As such, it is rarely found on the chest, back, or any other area most often covered.
If tattooed as a matching set with another person, you would most likely want to get the tattoo in the same place so that it can be easily shown and shared. This provides another argument for putting it in a place that is easily accessible.
Conclusion
Grapes tattoos can be a symbol for life in all its forms and possibilities including fertility, eternal life, and life after death. The fruit further symbolizes joy, pleasure, faith, strength, and power and is often a picture that is meant to be put on display to be shared with others.
Grapes tattoos can come in all sizes, colors, and styles so that no two pieces of body art are alike and each bears a personal meaning of the wearer whether it be joy at a life lived to the fullest or the faith that comes from ultimate sacrifice and leads to eternal life.
