Brad Pitt Tattoos

Benna Crawford
Brad Pitt

Tattoos sported by popular celebrities such as Brad Pitt are endlessly fascinating to their fans. The star has an array of tattoos, each one unique and holding personal meaning. From an original drawing to Latin words of inspiration, there is plenty to be inspired by when it comes to Brad's ink.

Brad Pitt Tattoo Designs and Placements

Brad has always stayed pretty quiet about the significance of his ink. Unlike Angelina's evolving skin art, displayed to advantage on red carpets and in magazine photo shoots, Brad typically reveals a glimpse of his tats only in paparazzi shots. So, a Brad Pitt tat is always buzz-worthy, and it's hard to be certain how many he has or which ones may be safely hidden. Here are the examples of Pitt ink that are public now.

Back Tattoo

Brad's back tattoo created quite a media frenzy with great speculation on the meaning behind the lines. The sketched linear pattern consists of several small choppy lines with seemingly no relation to one another. Many theories quickly developed behind the unique and modern tattoo.

The first theory was that Brad's tattoo signified the downed levees that caused the New Orleans catastrophe after Hurricane Katrina made waves. Brad Pitt was very involved in the relief of Hurricane Katrina victims, and even backed the "Make it Right" project which benefited those who lost their homes and were displaced after the devastation of the hurricane. The "Make it Right" project funded the construction of new, environmentally friendly green homes for the victims of the Katrina disaster.

Another theory behind Brad's back tattoo was that the lines portrayed the city streets that made the French Quarter in New Orleans. Onlookers turned to city maps to check the placement and pattern of the lines. Both theories were crushed when Angelina Jolie later admitted that she sketched the tattoo on Brad's back out of pure boredom. Angie claimed that Brad loved the temporary design she sketched and had it inked permanently.

Left Inner Forearm

The human outline on Brad Pitt's left inner forearm is an outlined sketch of Europe's oldest mummy, Otzi. Otzi, a mystery iceman whose remains are still being studied, was about 45 years old when he died - most likely violently - and had 61 soot tattoos inked into his skin. The body was discovered in an Italian glacier in 1991, and the mummy's age is estimated at 5300 years old.

Brad's arm ink of Otzi is as simple as Otzi's own tattoos. It's very spare, with no color other than the outline of black ink. Modern man Pitt is typically mum about his inscrutable tattoo

Ice Man tattoo
Sketch of Brad Pitt's Ice Man Tattoo

Left Arm

Right below "Frozen Otzi" Pitt has a tattoo of a bold-font single word inked in black: Invictus. The word is Latin for "Undefeated." It is also the title of a verse by 19th-century British poet William Ernest Henley which concludes:

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Lower Left Back

On his lower left back, Brad has his own inked Sanskrit blessing. Just like Angelina's, the tattoo is rumored to be for the protection of his eldest son Maddox. Sanskrit tattoos in henna are traditional in Indian celebrations and popular with Westerners who don't want permanent ink but do appreciate the decorative art. Dubbed the "mother of all languages," Sanskrit script is a unique and beautiful art form. Blessing tattoos, such as Brad's and Angelina's, embody the ancient power of the Sanskrit language and can hold special meaning for daily life. If you're seeking an inspiring or thought provoking tattoo, a Sanskrit or blessing tattoo may make the perfect choice.

Lower Stomach

Rather than opt for a traditional name tattoo to celebrate his love for Angelina Jolie, Brad made a unique commitment to have her birthdate tattooed in Khmer on his stomach. Khmer is the official language of Cambodia, and is influenced by Sanskrit and Pali through Buddhism and Hinduism beliefs. Cultural tattoos celebrate ancestry or heritage. Many people choose cultural tattoos because they depict a personal meaning that is profound yet private. If you need a cool tattoo idea, consider a symbol or script with direct personal meaning.

Left Outer Forearm

Not content with Sanskrit and Khmer, Brad also sports a French phrase on his outer forearm, just below the elbow. He may be finding it particularly apt, given the high-profile split with Jolie and the general frantic pace of his own life. The French reads: "Absurdites de l' existence," French for "Life is absurd."

Right Outer Forearm

Brad's tats tend toward the linear and angular - no curving tigers clawing their way up his back. On his right arm is a long black vertical line bisected near the top by a shorter horizontal line - an image of a split cell that you might find on an Excel data sheet. In the left column is an "A" for Angelina. In the right column are the letters MPZSVK for his kids: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox.

In biology, splitting cells is a process of making exponentially more cells from one or more cells by splitting them - usually into separate cultures. So a split-cell tat to honor his multicultural family seems about right.

Right Bicep

Jalal ad-Din Rumi, 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet, wrote beautiful lines that make beautiful tattoos. Brad's inked an evocative Rumi quote on his arm, again in simple black cursive. The tattoo is an English translation that reads: There exists a field, beyond all notions of right and wrong. I will meet you there. The tat might reference Pitt's social justice work or, as was often the case with the ecstatic Rumi, encapsulate the wild freedom and transcendence of a passionate love.

Find Inspiration Within

Brad Pitt's tattoos are all unique and deeply personal. If you're seeking tattoo ideas, look within for emotions and without, to world events that touch your life and your soul. Find a higher meaning in your daily life, and celebrate your one-of-a-kind self with black ink tattoos that are simple, yet significant.

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Brad Pitt Tattoos