Das glückliche Weltalter (The Happy New Age)

Rode combined traditional etching with drypoint, incising lines directly into the copper plate to achieve richer, velvety strokes alongside the crisp, acid‑etched outlines. This hybrid approach allowed him to model depth and texture, giving the crowded scene a lively, three‑dimensional quality that distinguishes the work from more conventional prints of the period.

Bernhard Rode, a prominent Prussian engraver and director of the Berlin Academy of the Arts, produced the piece during his mature phase, when he regularly engaged with leading Enlightenment figures such as Friedrich Nicolai and Gotthold Lessing. The print circulated among intellectual circles that shared his interest in the cultural reforms championed by Frederick the Great.

The image reflects the broader cultural project of Frederick II’s reign, during which the monarch promoted artistic and philosophical exchange. Rode’s frequent inclusion of Frederick the Great in his works underscores the king’s role as a patron and symbol of enlightened governance, a backdrop that informs the print’s optimistic tone.