Skin and Edward the Conqueror Summary

In 1946, an old man named Drioli is a beggar in Paris. He sees a painting and recognizes the style; it was done by an old friend named Chaim Soutine, that he calls his Kalmuck since Soutine is Russian. Drioli and his wife had known Soutine before World War I. One evening back then, Soutine was painting a picture of Drioli's wife. Soutine frequently makes romantic overtures about Drioli's wife Josie. However, Drioli plays these off as jokes. Drioli, a tattoo artist, has made a lot of money from sailors that are in town. Drioli buys many bottles of wine and they get drunk. Drioli asks Soutine to paint a picture of Josie on his back and then tattoo over it. Drioli shows him how to use the tattoo gun and Soutine finds that it is...