Johann Christoph Storer

As noted by Sandrart, Johann Christoph Storer was initially trained in Constance by his father, the painter Bartholomäus Storer, and then by Caspar Strauss in Augsburg. In about 1640 he moved to Milan, where he worked for Ercole Procaccini the Younger and subsequently opened his own studio. In 1644 he was involved in the decorations in Milan Cathedral for the funeral ceremony of Queen Isabella of Spain and in the years that followed he produced paintings for churches in Milan, Bergamo and Pavia. From 1652 he worked in parallel in Milan and Constance and in 1657 probably returned for good to his native city, where he continued to receive numerous church commissions.

Storer’s printed œuvre encompasses no more than eight sheets, most of which are very rare. The distinguishing feature of the present etching is its baroque-like design, which is reminiscent of Rubens. The corpulent Bacchus, intoxicated by wine, has difficulty remaining astride his panther and needs the help of a satyr to do so; a nymph gleefully plucks grapes from the vines above her head, while other putti form a human column in an attempt to reach them. Nagler described the print, which has a dedication to Signor Gaspar Hagens on the banderole, as rare. A very fine impression, black in the contours, with thread margins around the distinct platemark. Minor handling traces, otherwise in excellent condition.