Datur hora quieti - Edward Goodall

A delicate steel engraving by Edward Goodall after J.M.W. Turner, depicting a tranquil river scene at dusk.

Datur hora quieti, translated as 'the hour for rest is given', is a fine steel engraving by Edward Goodall, after a design by J.M.W. Turner. This work was produced for the publication 'The Poetical Works of Samuel Rogers', specifically illustrating the poem 'Evening'. Goodall was a master of the engraving medium, frequently employed by Turner to translate his atmospheric oil paintings and watercolours into the precise, monochromatic language of print.

The composition features a tranquil river scene at dusk. A stone bridge spans the water in the middle distance, while a ruined structure sits atop a hill, silhouetted against the fading light. In the foreground, a small boat rests on the riverbank, and two figures with cattle are visible near the water, adding a sense of scale and human presence to the quiet scene. The engraving technique captures the subtle gradations of light and shadow, characteristic of the Romantic interest in the sublime and the passage of time. The soft, hazy quality of the sky and the reflection on the water demonstrate the technical skill required to replicate Turner's painterly effects through line and cross-hatching.

This print reflects the nineteenth-century tradition of book illustration, where high-quality engravings allowed the public to access the work of major artists. The delicate handling of the plate ensures that the atmospheric perspective remains clear, drawing the eye from the immediate foreground towards the distant hills. It is a representative example of the collaborative relationship between painter and engraver during this period, where the printmaker acted as an interpreter of the artist's vision. The work remains a quiet study of rural life and the transition from day to night, rendered with the precision and restraint typical of the era's printmaking techniques.