Long before tattoos were trending on Instagram, before high-end studios and viral TikTok flash sheets, tattoos were part of a gritty, underground culture. And standing tall—inked from neck to toe, armed with nothing but a hand needle and raw determination—was Maud Wagner, the first known female tattoo artist in the United States.
Her story isn’t just about breaking into a male-dominated field. It’s about challenging societal norms, preserving ancient techniques, and building a legacy that still resonates in tattoo culture today.
From the Circus to the Skin
Maud Stevens Wagner was born in 1877 in Lyon County, Kansas. Before she ever touched a tattoo needle, Maud lived the daring life of a traveling circus performer. As an aerialist and contortionist, she crisscrossed the country performing death-defying stunts. That’s where she met a man who would forever change her path—Gus Wagner, a tattooed sideshow performer with over 260 tattoos on his body and a reputation for his unique, hand-poked designs.
Their first interaction is the stuff of tattoo legend: Gus offered Maud a tattoo in exchange for a date. She said yes. That one trade sparked not just a romance, but a career—and a revolution.
Learning the Art, One Dot at a Time
Maud didn’t just get a tattoo—she became obsessed with the craft. Under Gus’s mentorship, she learned the art of tattooing using the hand-poked method, also known as stick-and-poke. This ancient technique involved using needles to puncture the skin and insert ink manually—painstaking, time-consuming, and requiring razor-sharp precision.
What made Maud extraordinary was her dedication to this method. Even as electric tattoo machines started becoming widely used in the early 1900s, she refused to switch over. She believed in the authenticity, discipline, and intimacy of hand-poked tattooing. It was personal. It was deliberate. And it was hers.
Together, Maud and Gus traveled across America, tattooing clients at sideshow tents, county fairs, and traveling carnivals. They were artists and attractions, giving tattoos while performing and educating curious onlookers about the mysterious and often misunderstood world of body art.
A Woman Inked and Empowered
Maud Wagner wasn’t just a tattoo artist—she was a living canvas. Her own body was covered in intricate tattoos, many of which were done by Gus and herself. Her tattoos included eagles, snakes, monkeys, women’s faces, patriotic symbols, and floral patterns—designs that were bold, symbolic, and attention-grabbing.
At a time when tattooed women were viewed with shock or suspicion, Maud wore her ink like armor. In an era when women were expected to be demure and covered up, she showed off her tattoos in public spaces and sideshows, owning her image with confidence. It wasn’t just rebellion—it was empowerment.
She also broke serious ground in the tattoo industry itself, which was overwhelmingly male. Maud was a rarity: a woman tattooing men and women alike, earning respect for her talent and skill, not just her appearance. She became an icon for women in tattooing—without even trying to be one.
The Next Generation: Lotteva Wagner
Maud and Gus passed their love of tattooing down to their daughter, Lotteva Wagner, who was born into the inked life. Lotteva also learned to tattoo from her parents, using the same stick-and-poke technique they had mastered. But Lotteva was unique in one surprising way: she never got a single tattoo herself.
Despite being surrounded by body art her entire life, and becoming a skilled tattooist in her own right, Lotteva remained uninked. Whether it was a personal choice or a symbolic gesture of separation from the spectacle surrounding her parents’ careers, it only added to her mystique.
Still, Lotteva helped preserve the family’s place in tattoo history, working alongside Maud and keeping their traditional methods alive even as the industry modernized around them.
A Lasting Legacy
Maud Wagner passed away in 1961, but her impact didn’t fade with time. Today, she’s remembered as a pioneer in the tattoo community, a woman who not only mastered her craft but reshaped it.
Her legacy isn’t just about being the “first.” It’s about the way she carried the craft with pride, grit, and authenticity. In a time when tattoos were taboo—associated with sailors, criminals, and circus oddities—Maud saw the art, not the stigma. She tattooed with intention, stayed true to traditional techniques, and opened doors for generations of women in the industry.
From her hand-poked designs to her unshakable confidence, Maud Wagner proved that tattooing wasn't just about ink—it was about identity, rebellion, and expression.
Final Thoughts
Today’s tattoo artists stand on the shoulders of people like Maud Wagner. She didn’t have social media, machines, or studio sponsorships. What she had was skill, bravery, and a relentless passion for the art.
If you’ve ever sat in a tattoo chair and felt empowered, seen, or healed through ink, you owe a nod to Maud. She was tattooing before it was trendy, accepted, or even safe to do so as a woman. She didn’t follow the rules—she made her own. One poke at a time.
