Eye Tattoo Meaning
An eye tattoo always looks back at the person who sees it. Depending on which eye it is, it means God's protection, ancient magic against harm, grief, or the gaze of someone you love.
The all-seeing eye
The Eye of Providence — an eye inside a triangle with rays of light — comes from Christian art, where the triangle stands for the Trinity and the eye for God watching over the world. The same image appears on the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the one-dollar bill. As a tattoo it means divine protection and the feeling of being watched over.
The Eye of Horus
In ancient Egypt the Eye of Horus was an amulet of protection, health and restoration. By myth the god Horus lost his eye in battle and it was healed, so the symbol stands for wholeness after injury. It is worn as a protective tattoo and as a sign of interest in Egyptian culture.
The evil eye
Across the Mediterranean and the Middle East, a blue eye amulet called the nazar protects against the evil eye — the harm that comes from someone's envious look. A tattoo of this eye works the same way: it looks back and turns the bad look away.
Crying eyes and realistic eyes
An eye with a tear stands for grief, loss and sometimes regret. A realistic eye — often the eye of a child, a partner or a parent, done as a portrait — keeps the gaze of a specific person on the skin. In black and grey realism the eye is one of the most demanding subjects: the reflection on the iris and the wet shine of the eye decide whether it looks alive.
Placement
A single realistic eye works on the forearm, the hand, the neck or the side of the head. Eyes are also often hidden inside larger pieces — in clouds, in architecture, in the face of a statue — so that the composition seems to look back at the viewer.
Eye Tattoo Questions
What does an eye tattoo symbolize?
Protection, awareness and divine watchfulness; a crying eye stands for grief.
What is the difference between the Eye of Horus and the all-seeing eye?
The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian amulet of protection and healing; the all-seeing eye in a triangle is a Christian symbol of God watching over the world.
What does an evil eye tattoo mean?
Protection against envy and the harm of someone's bad look.