Mermaid of the Moment: A Fair Catch by Norman Rockwell

(Click image to enlarge)

A Fair Catch, Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post, August 20, 1955.

This mermaid by Norman Rockwell graced the Saturday Evening Post on August 20, 1955. His reference for the painting included an 81-year-old Gloucester, MA lobsterman, a professional female model from New York City (it would have been too scandalous to ask a neighbor to pose nude) and a 12 pound pollack from the Berkshire Fish Company. He photographed the fish, then gave it to a local restauranteur who served the resulting fish fillets for two days.

Howard Pyle's Seaside Holiday Photos, 1910

Earlier this year, I wrote an entry about The Mermaid, one of my favorite mermaid paintings by the late famous illustrator Howard Pyle.

Just recently, I was contacted by a fellow mermaid devotee, an employee at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, who also collaborates with Howard Pyle's great granddaughter. (On a side note, the Winterthur Museum is hosting an exhibit of original costumes from Downton Abbey through January 4, 2015.)

As a result of this serendipitous cyber-world connection, The Daily Mermaid has been given permission to share never-before-seen photos taken by Howard Pyle of his family at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware in 1910.

I hope you'll enjoy these photos of an Edwardian day by the sea. In terms of dress things have changed quite a bit, but I think we can all understand the joy of a day at the beach.

(Click on the photos to see them at a larger size.)

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910

Howard Pyle, Rehoboth Beach, 1910