The Times of Day
Sets of prints showing the times of day: morning, noon, evening and night.
This 17th century set was published in Antwerp, then one of the major print-publishing centres. It focuses on a woman's activities throughout the day:
Set of four engravings. 203 x 292mm.
The composition depicts female figures in contemporary dress engaged in 17th century occupations and pastimes. Martin van den Enden. A publisher and printmaker from Antuwerp, flourishing 1630 - 1645. Most associated with works after Van Dyck.
[Ref: 7046] £950
Unlike the scenes in van der Enden's set, which maintain a compositional conformity (the woman is stood in the middle of each scene), a set by Bonnart shows more diversity. In this set midday is represented by eating, and evening by sleeping:
[Times of Day] Le Matin [&] Le Midy. [&] La pres disner. [&] Le Soir.
R. Bonnart del. [two plates.]
Chez HBonnart au Coq avec privil. [Paris, c.1710.]
Set of four engravings, each c.270 x 190mm. 10½ x 7½". Large margins, with tatty extremities; some spotting to plates, mostly marginal. Closed tear just into right side of 'Midy' plate. Rare complete.
The activities of a French 'femme de qualite' through the course of a day; at her toilet, eating a meal, sewing, and, in the final plate, sleeping.
After Robert Bonnart (1652 - 1729 or after), painter and engraver who studied under Van der Meulen.
[Ref: 13097] £700
In the 19th century, the theme of woman's progress through the day was updated by Julien Boilly in the manner of Mannerist nudes attended by putti- here the uniformity is in the woman's horizontal poses (and this being 19th century France, lack of clothing):
[Les Quatre Heures du Jour.] Le Matin. [&] Le Midi. [&] Le Soir. [&] La Nuit.
Prud'hom del. Lith par Jul. Boilly.
Marchant, Edit: r: de Rivoli, 140. Imp. Bertauts, Paris. [n.d. c.1849.]
Four india-laid lithographs
Sheet 311 x 450mm. 12¼ x 17¾".
[Ref: 21705] £220
This German set of mezzotints is particularly unusual. The final scene (here pushed back to midnight) includes a host of animals (a bird, fish and bizarrely moustachioed bat!), their existence apparently contradicted by the final line of the text, 'fantmes et spectres ne sont que vaines idées'.
[Times of Day.] Le Matin; Le Midi; Le Soir; Le Minuit.
Se vend à Augsbourg chez J.Jacques Haid, et à Paris chez Mr. Gilles Roffelin.
Set of four mezzotints. Ea. c. 420 x 285mm. Each plate with horizontal fold & some damp staining.
In the morning a maid draws water from a well; at noon a couple say grace over their meal; in the evening a merchant weighs his coins; and at midnight a witch mixes a potion.
[Ref: 2895] £1,200
Perhaps the most famous set of 'times of day' are those by William Hogarth, in which the usual focus on one activity is extrapolated into four typically imaginative and varied scenes of London life. His 'Noon' shows a crowd leaving the French huguenot church in St. Giles, and much else besides:
[The Four Times of Day]
Invented Painted Engrav'd & Published by Wm Hogarth March 25 1738 according to Act of Parliament [all four plates, with minor variations].
Set of four engravings, 19th century impressions on thick wove paper. Each c.490 x 400mm (19¼ x 15¾").
The famous set of satires on London life by William Hogarth (1697 - 1764), with the assistance of Bernard Baron. The series begins in Covent Garden, with the successive plates showing scenes in the locales of St. Giles'-in-the-Fields, Sadlers Wells, and Rummer Court (looking towards the equestrian statue of Charles I at Charing Cross).
[Ref: 22395] £650
These prints were copied soon after their original publication, reversing Hogarth's compositions and translating them from the sharpness of Hogarth and Baron's line engraving to the more lyrical mezzotint technique:
[The Four Times of the Day.] Morning - Le Matin. [&] Noon - Le Midi. [&] Evening - La Soirée. [&] Night - La Nuit.
Hogarth Pinx.t. Spooner Fecit.
[n.d., c.1760.]
Set of four mezzotints, very scarce, printed in brown. Plates c. 360 x 255mm, 14 x 10". Narrow margins, plate marks cracked. Cut at bottom, repairs & loss.
Mezzotint copies of Hogarth's famous series, 'Morning' engraved in reverse. Charles Spooner (1720-67) was an Irish engraver who worked for Sayer and Bowles in London, often copying other plates.
Paulson: p. 104, examples of the plates 'Publish'd 23d June 1740', described as 'The only contemporary copies I have seen'.
[Ref: 27895] £650
Another way of depicting the passing of the day is through landscape scenes. This series of engravings by William Austin is taken from Dutch paintings with explanatory text below. In this morning scene we see Aurora 'Bestowing riches on the industrious Swain,/ Health, Peace, and Plenty, sweet rewards for pain':
[Four Times of the Day]
Sold by the Printsellers of London & Westminster. Major excudit. [London, c.1740.]
Rare set of four etchings, the first three plates with all-over sepia/light brown watercolour wash applied, 'Night' in blue. Each c.280 x 370mm, 11 x 14½". Laid on album pages, good margins.
Four Dutch landscapes.
[Ref: 17149] £450
Landscape and pastimes are combined in this set of 'Rustic Hours' after Francis Wheatley, with their strong sense of the rural environment:
Rustic Hours. [set of four]
After Francis Wheatley, published 1800
Hand-coloured mezzotint. Plate 488 x 585mm. 19¼ x 23". [&] Hand-coloured mezzotint. Plate 478 x 578mm. 18¾ x 22¾". [1 & 4:] Trimmed to plate along lower edge.
An extremely rare matching set of the Times of Day.
Webster: 119; 120; 121; 122.
[Ref: 20206] £2,200
A wonderful 19th century update on the subject is this set, published during the reign of George IV, which show a man preparing himself to face the day, gorging himself, enjoying a drink and a smoke, and feeling rather sorry for himself afterwards:
The Frosty Morning. [&] At Fault. [&] Love at First Sight. [&] The Glow-Worm.
Painted by W.Sharp. [also M.W.Sharpe pinx.t.] Engraved by C.Turner [also H.Dawe & A.Huffman.]
London: Published Aug.t 1825 [Nov. 1st & Nov 25th, 1825, and Aug.st 1826], by W.J.White, 14, Brownlow Street, Holborn.
Set of four mezzotints. 340 x 255mm.
[Ref: 7283] £650
This 17th century set was published in Antwerp, then one of the major print-publishing centres. It focuses on a woman's activities throughout the day:
[Four Times Of Day]
Mart. vanden Enden execudit Antwerpiae.
Set of four engravings. 203 x 292mm.
The composition depicts female figures in contemporary dress engaged in 17th century occupations and pastimes. Martin van den Enden. A publisher and printmaker from Antuwerp, flourishing 1630 - 1645. Most associated with works after Van Dyck.
[Ref: 7046] £950
Unlike the scenes in van der Enden's set, which maintain a compositional conformity (the woman is stood in the middle of each scene), a set by Bonnart shows more diversity. In this set midday is represented by eating, and evening by sleeping:
R. Bonnart del. [two plates.]
Chez HBonnart au Coq avec privil. [Paris, c.1710.]
Set of four engravings, each c.270 x 190mm. 10½ x 7½". Large margins, with tatty extremities; some spotting to plates, mostly marginal. Closed tear just into right side of 'Midy' plate. Rare complete.
The activities of a French 'femme de qualite' through the course of a day; at her toilet, eating a meal, sewing, and, in the final plate, sleeping.
After Robert Bonnart (1652 - 1729 or after), painter and engraver who studied under Van der Meulen.
[Ref: 13097] £700
In the 19th century, the theme of woman's progress through the day was updated by Julien Boilly in the manner of Mannerist nudes attended by putti- here the uniformity is in the woman's horizontal poses (and this being 19th century France, lack of clothing):
Prud'hom del. Lith par Jul. Boilly.
Marchant, Edit: r: de Rivoli, 140. Imp. Bertauts, Paris. [n.d. c.1849.]
Four india-laid lithographs
Sheet 311 x 450mm. 12¼ x 17¾".
[Ref: 21705] £220
This German set of mezzotints is particularly unusual. The final scene (here pushed back to midnight) includes a host of animals (a bird, fish and bizarrely moustachioed bat!), their existence apparently contradicted by the final line of the text, 'fantmes et spectres ne sont que vaines idées'.
Se vend à Augsbourg chez J.Jacques Haid, et à Paris chez Mr. Gilles Roffelin.
Set of four mezzotints. Ea. c. 420 x 285mm. Each plate with horizontal fold & some damp staining.
In the morning a maid draws water from a well; at noon a couple say grace over their meal; in the evening a merchant weighs his coins; and at midnight a witch mixes a potion.
[Ref: 2895] £1,200
Perhaps the most famous set of 'times of day' are those by William Hogarth, in which the usual focus on one activity is extrapolated into four typically imaginative and varied scenes of London life. His 'Noon' shows a crowd leaving the French huguenot church in St. Giles, and much else besides:
Invented Painted Engrav'd & Published by Wm Hogarth March 25 1738 according to Act of Parliament [all four plates, with minor variations].
Set of four engravings, 19th century impressions on thick wove paper. Each c.490 x 400mm (19¼ x 15¾").
The famous set of satires on London life by William Hogarth (1697 - 1764), with the assistance of Bernard Baron. The series begins in Covent Garden, with the successive plates showing scenes in the locales of St. Giles'-in-the-Fields, Sadlers Wells, and Rummer Court (looking towards the equestrian statue of Charles I at Charing Cross).
[Ref: 22395] £650
These prints were copied soon after their original publication, reversing Hogarth's compositions and translating them from the sharpness of Hogarth and Baron's line engraving to the more lyrical mezzotint technique:
Hogarth Pinx.t. Spooner Fecit.
[n.d., c.1760.]
Set of four mezzotints, very scarce, printed in brown. Plates c. 360 x 255mm, 14 x 10". Narrow margins, plate marks cracked. Cut at bottom, repairs & loss.
Mezzotint copies of Hogarth's famous series, 'Morning' engraved in reverse. Charles Spooner (1720-67) was an Irish engraver who worked for Sayer and Bowles in London, often copying other plates.
Paulson: p. 104, examples of the plates 'Publish'd 23d June 1740', described as 'The only contemporary copies I have seen'.
[Ref: 27895] £650
Another way of depicting the passing of the day is through landscape scenes. This series of engravings by William Austin is taken from Dutch paintings with explanatory text below. In this morning scene we see Aurora 'Bestowing riches on the industrious Swain,/ Health, Peace, and Plenty, sweet rewards for pain':
Sold by the Printsellers of London & Westminster. Major excudit. [London, c.1740.]
Rare set of four etchings, the first three plates with all-over sepia/light brown watercolour wash applied, 'Night' in blue. Each c.280 x 370mm, 11 x 14½". Laid on album pages, good margins.
Four Dutch landscapes.
[Ref: 17149] £450
Landscape and pastimes are combined in this set of 'Rustic Hours' after Francis Wheatley, with their strong sense of the rural environment:
After Francis Wheatley, published 1800
Hand-coloured mezzotint. Plate 488 x 585mm. 19¼ x 23". [&] Hand-coloured mezzotint. Plate 478 x 578mm. 18¾ x 22¾". [1 & 4:] Trimmed to plate along lower edge.
An extremely rare matching set of the Times of Day.
Webster: 119; 120; 121; 122.
[Ref: 20206] £2,200
A wonderful 19th century update on the subject is this set, published during the reign of George IV, which show a man preparing himself to face the day, gorging himself, enjoying a drink and a smoke, and feeling rather sorry for himself afterwards:
Painted by W.Sharp. [also M.W.Sharpe pinx.t.] Engraved by C.Turner [also H.Dawe & A.Huffman.]
London: Published Aug.t 1825 [Nov. 1st & Nov 25th, 1825, and Aug.st 1826], by W.J.White, 14, Brownlow Street, Holborn.
Set of four mezzotints. 340 x 255mm.
[Ref: 7283] £650
