surfresearch.com.au   surfing images : 1788 to 1906

Most illustrations were printed in conjunction with published reports of surf-riding, which are generally brief but rich in detail and often enthusiastic.
In only one case is the author and illustrator the same, see Ormsted (1841).
For other early written accounts of surf-riding, see Source Documents.
Utlimately, these published works could be considered as part of a developing Pacific tourist industry, exposing Western readers to the pleasures of Hawai'i.

Images printed by  etchings or woodblock and are usually the work of two artists which can lead to some confusion in attribution.
I have been unable to credit some of the works below to my satisfaction.

In many cases the images were printed in a number of editions and in various subsequent publications.
They are often cropped or resized and appear with different captions.
This is particually the case in modern printings, see Finney and Houston (1966) et. al.
For the scanned images I have attemopted to select the modern printed version that shows the least evidence of cropping.

It is often difficult to determine the location (which may not be the same as the accompanying report) and whether the image is constructed from the artist's personal observation or a reconstruction based on eyewitness reports.

Images of surfriding were of varving quality and accuracy - most artists struggled with presenting the essential dynamics of the activity.
This is most commonly seen in the difficutly of locating the board and rider in a realistic position on the wave face.
Bolton noted in 1891 ... "Some pictures ...  represent the surf-riders on the seaward slope of the wave, in positions which are incompatible with the results."

In images that were probably drawn from personal observation, some allowance must be made for a failure to comprehend the dynamics of wave-riding.
The riding (compared with the paddle-out) was rapid, the nature of the wave changed dramatically and it did not resemble contemporary Western activites.
These difficulties were circumvented with the development of surf photography, which would play a major part in the spread and evolution of surf-riding.

Most of the early images have some common features ...
- surf-riding is represented as a community activity.
- the riders adopt a variety of riding positions and significantly they  illustrate stance - a feature not noted in the early written accounts.
- the artist makes a significant attempt to accuately portray the wave shape and action and there is often an indication that the activity is in off-shore conditions - considered best by surf-riders.
- in most cases the wave size is less than six foot and board length is less than seven foot.
This is probably a result of observing a large number of riders close to shore.
In some instances, other riders are located much further from shore than the central figures, probably indicating they were riding larger waves and possibly with larger boards.

Some images feature bare female breasts, undoubtedly of interest to 19th century readers.
Generally, the more this feature is detailed then the less informative the illustration.

Although not in common circulation, the significance of unpublished paintings and drawings should not be overlooked.
It is possible that the artists responsible for the printed images had some access to the former, and may have been influenced by them.
This may be of extreme importance to some artists who apparently never visited Hawai'i and their work, unless taken from a previous work, can only be a construction from a published text, field notes and/or verbal input.
For example, see Bayard (1873) and Riou (1873), below.
The second in particular, has some significant inconsistancies.

John Webber  : First drawing of a surfboard, circa 1778. Detail from ... "A View of KaraKakooa, in Owyhee."  Lueras (1984) Page 47. First image of surf board.

Jacques Arago or Alphonse Pellion ? :  "The Houses of Kraimokou, circa 1819." Finney and Houston (1996) Page 37.  First image of an Olo board.

Jacques Arago  :  "Wahine, Hawaii, circa 1819." Finney and Houston (1996) Page 38. Decorative, rather than informative.

F. Howard : "Sandwich Island Surf-riders, circa 1830." Finney and Houston (1996) Frontpiece. The first reported Western image of surf-riding, it correctly identifies stance.

Francis Olmsted  :  "Sandwich Islanders Playing in the Surf,  circa 1841."  .Lueras (1984) Page 39. First image by the same writer and artist.

Anonymous :  Hawaiian Sport of Surf Playing, circa 1851. Possibly "WROBBER?" (drawing/ woodblock)  DelaVega (ed, 2004) page 14. First Magazine article with surfing and art.

Anonymous :  Surf swimming at Hawaii,  Sandwich Islands, circa 1866. DelaVega (ed, 2004)  Page 22.

Anonymous : Surf-bathing Success, 1872. DelaVega (ed, 2004)  Page 29.

Anonymous : Surf-bathing Failure, 1872. DelaVega (ed, 2004)  Page 29.

Com. William  Bainbridge Hoff : "Surf Bathing,  circa 1873." Dela Vega (ed, 2004)  page 24. Considered an unrealistic representation by  Bolton (1891).

Emile Bayard :  "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing),  circa 1873. DelaVega (ed, 2004) Page17. Probably reconstructed from  reports or sketches.

E. Riou  :  "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing), circa 1873.  Lueras (1984) Page 53. Probably reconstructed from reports  or sketches.

William Charles Stoddard :  Summer Cruising in the South Seas, 1874. Cover illustration, probably by Wallis McKay. See below. First book with a surf-riding illustration on the cover. Lueras (1984) Page 50.

Wallis McKay : Surf-swimmers, circa 1874. Lueras (1984) Page 36. Highly detailed image denoting riding positions, stance, duck-diving, waves in sets, off-shore winds and significant wave height.

Wallis McKay : Surf-swimmers, circa 1874. Nat's History (1983) Page 30 Bishop Museum. Highly detailed image denoting  riding positions, stance, duck-diving, waves in sets, off-shore winds  and significant wave height.

Harden S. Melville: Surf Swimming off the Coast of Hawaii. Woodcut and design by Harden S. Melville. Engraved by Newsom Woods. Greenwood(1885) page 96. Most likely a copy of  Anonymous:  Surf swimming at Hawaii,  Sandwich Islands, circa 1866. Above

L. Fillol  : "Hawaiian Surf-riders, circa 1890." Margan and Finney (1971) Page 22. Highly realistic image denoting riding positions, stance and transverse sliding  (rider far right).

Anonymous  : "Hawaiian Surf-Bathing", circa 1890. Lueras (1984) Page 39. Decorative, rather than informative.

Anonymous : Wahine wave-riding, circa 1890. Margan and Finney (1971) Page 25. Painting ? Probably cropped.

Anonymous  : "Hawaiian Surf-riding, circa 1896." Klein (1965) Page 28. Thrum 's Hawaiian Annual of 1986.  Public Archives, Hawaii

Anonymous : "Surf-riders at Waikiki, circa 1890s." George (1990) Page 20.

Anonymous  : "A Trip toHawaii",  1897. Kampion (1997) Page 32.

The British Library : Concise History of the British Newspaper in the Twentieth Century
"1903 - Nov 2 : Daily Mirror launched by Harmsworth. First daily illustrated exclusively with photographs."

"1934 - Oct 18 : Daily Mail publishes the first photograph to be transmitted by beam radio (from Melbourne to London)."
- http://www.bl.uk/collections/brit20th.html#from1901

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