Christian Bernhard Rode

Christian Bernhard Rode was a graphic artist active during the mid-eighteenth century, with documented production spanning the period from 1724 through 1778. His surviving body of work, comprised of drawings and prints, suggests an artistic practice focused on portraiture, allegory, and classical narrative.

Christian Bernhard Rode is represented in major North American museum collections, establishing the historical significance of his work. Five known works are held by institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. This documented output consists of three prints and two drawings.

Notable works recorded in these collections include the allegorical print The Bee and the Hen and the classical narrative Scene from Pliny. Rode also executed portraiture, as seen in the drawing Portrait of Christian Bernhard Rode, the Artist's Father, and the print Job in Luck (Hiob im Glück). Although the artist's output documented in museum databases consists solely of graphic media, his prints often exhibit the level of detail necessary for museum-quality reproduction. Today, much of his work, available as high-quality prints, is found in the public domain, making downloadable artwork accessible for scholarship.