01 Work, RELIGIOUS ART - Johann Christophorus Storer's Judith and Holofernes, With Footnotes - #177

Johann Christophorus Storer (1620 - 1671)

Judith and Holofernes

Oil on canvas

h: 137 w: 129 cm

Private collection

The Book of Judith is the Old Testament of the Bible. The story revolves around Judith, a daring and beautiful widow, who is upset with her Jewish countrymen for not trusting God to deliver them from their foreign conquerors. She goes with her loyal maid to the camp of the enemy general, Holofernes, with whom she slowly ingratiates herself, promising him information on the Israelites. Gaining his trust, she is allowed access to his tent one night as he lies in a drunken stupor. She decapitates him, then takes his head back to her fearful countrymen. The Assyrians, having lost their leader, disperse, and Israel is saved. Though she is courted by many, Judith remains unmarried for the rest of her life. More on The Book of Judith

Johann Christophorus Storer (1620 - 1671), an important representative of German Baroque art and famous "Jesuit painter", His father was also working as a painter and gave him his first art education. Later, Bartholomew Storer sent the son to the Jesuit school. 

Not much is known about the actual painter's apprenticeship. He learns his craft, following the testimony of the artist-photographer Sandrart, in Augsburg. When his father dies, Johann Christoph Storer briefly returns to his native city to settle his estate there.

A little later, around 1640, he moved to Milan, where he worked for some time in the studio of Ercole Procaccini . He soon made a name for himself in Italy as an independent artist and in 1644 participated in the decoration of the Milan Cathedral for the funeral of Isabella of Spain. In the same year he painted frescoes in the Milan church of S. Maria della Pace.

In 1652, Johann Christoph Storrer settled temporarily in Constance, before finally settling in 1657 in his native city. He now worked mainly for the Jesuits. Storer produces paintings and engravings for the churches and publications of the Order.

Johann Christoph Storer, who was a recognized citizen in Konstanz as a council member and city tavern master, dies in 1671 in an unknown place. More on Johann Christoph Storer

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