Skin Flowers

Skin Flowers is a photographic work featuring a collection of Autochrome Lumiere photographs captured by an anonymous dermatologist, referred to as Dr. X, in Lyon during the early 1930s. The book was compiled, edited, and annotated by Gérard Lévy and Serge Bramly. It documents the rugged lives and physical appearances of various individuals, including prisoners, sailors, artists, and soldiers. The imagery provides a stark contrast between skin conditions, extensive tattoos, and both natural and unnatural beauty. The work includes English and French text, with a list at the rear explaining some of the tattoo meanings in French prison underculture.