

Being dressed as a crow would take on a special significance in that case.

With this in mind, the plague doctor was likely the only one present for a lot of people’s last moments. In some mythologies, they were thought to carry souls to the underworld. You’ve caught a disease from a bird? Become the biggest bird there is.Ĭrows have always been a symbol of death. The black plague was rumored at the time to have been started by birds, so part of the idea behind the mask was a sort of “hair of the dog” theory. Science and spirituality were not always so diametrically opposed. Why, in a time when everyone was dying, were these people looking to make a fashion statement? It definitely had a stylized look, and it’s interesting to ask ourselves what the reason behind it is. But why was the plague doctor’s mask shaped like a bird? The aromatics in a plague doctor’s mask make sense and were an innovative idea in a time when medical science was quite limited.
#The plague doctor drawing full
The imagery associated with the plague doctor is dark and Gothic, yes, but many people have found ways to soften the view of the subject matter and make it less terrifying.įor those with an appreciation for what the plague doctor represents, more vibrant tattoo styles, such as the new school style, can be applied to this design to lighten things up.Īt the same time, those wishing to bring out the grit of the subject matter may opt for a hyper-realistic style that brings the full terror of the plague doctor to life in their tattoo. While plague doctor tattoos don’t vary widely in terms of design, there are many ways to make this design all your own.
