An artist posts a picture of a hyper-realistic portrait of a woman encased by a floral frame they just completed. Most people would agree this to be a work of art, but when I mention this portrait is not displayed in an art gallery but as a tattoo on someone's skin, your opinion probably changes whether or not you like that art. Why is that? The art of tattooing has been around since circa 2000 B.C. based on the discovery of female mummies which had tattoos in a dotted pattern near the abdomen, tops of thighs and breasts, according to Cate Lineberry for Smithsonian Magazine. Egyptian belief was these tattoos would protect women during difficult pregnancies and appeared on some priestesses.Â