Originsįrom as far back as 3,000 years ago, the panther has long been a symbol in art and mythology in many continents, featuring in Roman bronze sculptures, as well as Chinese art and military uniforms in both the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, we're looking at the tattoo origins of this flash staple and exploring how it became one of the most popular designs in traditional tattoos. The design is timeless and found unchanged since conception in any studio offering traditional tattooing today, as well as an ongoing reinterpretation by artists. The appeal of this design is the dramatic and bold posture and the sleek flow, allowing for easy placement and sizing, all creating primal energy that makes this panther so attractive. The black panther design, particularly the 'Crawling Panther,' is one of the most iconic images in tattoo history and a powerful representation of American traditional style that emerged in the past few decades.
