The Master – Louise Cooper’s The Time Master Trilogy (Original Watercolor) Robert Gould, 1986

Original watercolor illustration by Robert Gould (1986) for The Time Master Trilogy by Louise Cooper, depicting the pivotal summoning of Aeoris, Lord of Order, by Keridil Toln.

In this moment, Keridil seeks to end chaos by calling Aeoris to destroy Tarod’s soul ring, an act intended to erase Tarod entirely. Instead, the summoning becomes the catalyst for Tarod’s transformation—forcing him to abandon mortality and assume his true role as the Time Master, Lord of Chaos and master of time itself.

Confronted by the absolute forces of Order, Tarod is compelled to summon his own brethren—the Lords of Chaos—setting the stage for the cosmic conflict that defines the trilogy.

Gould renders this turning point with restraint and symbolism, emphasizing inevitability and metaphysical tension rather than spectacle. Executed as a finished, stand-alone watercolor and signed and dated by the artist, this piece represents Gould’s mature fantasy illustration style and the literary tradition that shaped a generation of fantasy readers.

A rare and significant example of Gould’s narrative fantasy work, with many comparable works now held in long-term private collections.