The “Tattooed Venus” Chose A Different Life

January 21, 2023 | Sarah Ng

The “Tattooed Venus” Chose A Different Life


Born in 1909, Betty Broadbent, best known as the “Tattooed Venus,” became fascinated by tattoos at the young age of 14. She’d been working as a nanny in Atlantic City when a walk along the boardwalk changed her life forever.

She met a man named Jack Redcloud, who was completely covered in tattoos. His unique look entranced Broadbent and he eventually introduced her to his tattoo artist, Charlie Wagner. The seed of desire had been planted. The young girl wanted tattoos of her own—and not just a few.

Four years later, in 1927, Broadbent placed her trust in Wagner’s skillful hands. He and a group of other artists began working on her bodysuit. It was a long and painful process, but at the end of it all, Broadbent stepped away with 565 tattoos. It was a dramatic change that led her into a shocking line of work.

The “Tattooed Venus” Chose A Different LifeWikimedia Commons

Broadbent’s love for tattooing attracted the interest of the circus. She exhibited her art with Barnum and Bailey Circus, as well as the Ringling Brothers—but that wasn’t all. She also received some new training and became a steer rider, even riding mules and horses later in her career.

Broadbent challenged societal standards for women through her tattoos and untraditional lifestyle. Not only did she put her body on display, but she also became a tattoo artist. In shops across the nation, her own creativity and technique took flight. Broadbent continued to work until her retirement in 1967.

The “Tattooed Venus” Chose A Different LifeState Library of New South Wales - Flickr

The “Tattooed Venus” definitely walked away from tattooing with an interesting legacy. Not only did Broadbent live a controversial and adventurous life, but she was the first person to be inducted into the Tattoo Hall of Fame. Today, she is considered to be the most photographed tattooed woman of the 20th century.

Sources: 1


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.