Milano, Italy

He painted the ceilings of castles for thirteen years, then picked up a tattoo machine at 38 with nobody willing to teach him. Almost nobody on earth was tattooing like a 17th-century engraver, and within six months of opening his Milan studio, collectors were crossing oceans to lie on his table. Nothing is designed in advance: every piece is built with the client on the morning of the appointment, drawn to fit the body, and almost always large. Eleven years in, Marco C. Matarese is ranked among the 100 best tattoo artists on earth. The restorer chose the one canvas that can't be saved.