The Four Times of the Day - Morning, Noon, Evening, Night. by William Hogarth, 1697-1764

William Hogarth, 1697-1764
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The Four Times of the Day - Morning, Noon, Evening, Night.

Complete set of the four engravings with etching in black ink (Evening with the face in red; very rare). 1738. Printed and issued by Hogarth. Extremely rare very early lifetime set. The set includes Morning: First state before added cross-hatching. Ref: P.146 Noon: First state before added cross-hatching. Ref: P.147 Evening: Second state, as completed, before cross-hatching.The face of the woman printed in red. Ref: P.148 Night: First state before added cross-hatching. Ref: P.149 (Note: References are to 'Paulson Hogarth's Graphic Works')

Superb rich contrasty impressions. On cream laid 1730 paper. Generally excellent condition; some margins with traces of time soiling, edge knocking, one or two edge nicks, not affecting the images. Trimmed just inside platemarks, as with many sold for framing. Sheets: each approx 488x405mm

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Hogarth's series of four engravings 'The Times of the Day' are probably the most famous prints in his oeuvre. This matched set of the four is all in early lifetime impressions, before any of the later rework, and 'Evening' has the face of the woman printed in the red ink. Such early matched sets are extremely rare.

Hogarth conceived of the 'Times of the Day' as a 'progress' in the same way as his compositions for 'The Harlot's Progress' for example. They were a comment on moral degeneration. The concept of 'progressions' in a series of paintings, whether in the form of 'the seasons' or of the 'times of day' had a long history in European art before it was adopted by Hogarth. His revolutionary contribution to the genre was to transfer the settings from the traditional country landscapes, with the changing crops for example, to city views. He wrote that he considered the city to the landscape of the 18th century, the hub of life.

In each of the compositions Hogarth used identifiable settings. In 'Morning' the view is of Covent Garden with a part of the Inigo Jones church of St.Paul. In 'Noon' the street is Hog Lane, now part of Charing Cross Road, with the church of St. Giles in the Fields. 'Evening' is set near 'Saddlers Wells' to the north of central London, and then a favoured escape from the city, but already a long way from the countryside which it had been, as is shown by the distant hills. The setting for 'Night' is one of the notorious back streets, Rummer Court, running in to the Charing Cross Road. These narrow routes, used by some of the stage coaches from the country to reach Charing Cross, were also the location of the 'houses of ill repute' and notorious taverns, such as 'The Rummer' on the left.

The extraordinary quality of Hogarth's art was his ability to combine serious moral and political comment with humour and an eye for capturing the true detail and atmosphere of so many aspects of the city of London and its way of life.