The Sydney Mail, 7 March 1906 - Seaside Number

Maker The Sydney Mail (Australian, 1860 - 1938)

Artist Fred Leist (1878 - 1945)

Date1906

Object number00028631

NameMagazine

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 423 x 284 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis 'Seaside Number' special issue of the Sydney Mail was published on 7 March 1906. The issue features a cover illustration of two male bodysurfers. The colour lithograph was taken from an illustration by Fred Leist, who worked as a staff artist at the Sydney Mail during this period.HistoryBodysurfing changed the nature of the swimmer's interaction with the sea, enabling the swimmer to move past the threshold of the breakers. It was first introduced to Australia by Tommy Tanner, a Pacific Islander who worked in domestic service in Manly in the 1890s. The Sydney Mail 'Seaside Number', with a cover image depicting this sport, demonstrates its growth in popularity by the 1900s. The Sydney Mail was published weekly in Sydney between 1870 and 1938, though it had a nation-wide readership. It was an important reference point for Australian culture in the first half of the 20th century. As well as news, current affairs, reviews and illustrations, it included serial and short stories, poetry, comics and caricatures. It also had an extensive sports section and bold advertising reminiscent of the period.SignificanceThis is an important early image depicting the sport of body surfing, and its use as cover art on the Sydney Mail reflects the increasing popularity of the sport by 1906.