Abraham Storck

Abraham Storck trained and worked with his father, Jan Jansz. Storck (a finschilder painter), and his brother Johannes, who was fifteen years his senior. Of the family of artists, Abraham was the most prolific and accomplished. His work was considerably influenced by fellow Amsterdam marine painters Ludolf Backhuysen and Jan Abrahamsz. Beerstraten.

The present painting depicts a capriccio port scene clearly inspired by the Grand Canal in Venice. Storck is not recorded as ever having travelled to Italy, but his knowledge of its architecture and landmarks was likely enhanced by artistic contemporaries such as Jan Asselijn and Jan Weenix, who brought back detailed accounts of their travels by way of their paintings. Although Storck’s topographical harbor scenes are imagined representations, they can be considered important precursors of the celebrated Italian capricci and architectural fantasies of the eighteenth century.   

At the time of the 1989 auction, the present painting was sold as a pair with another canvas by Storck depicting A Capriccio Southern Port Scene.¹ In that sale, the pair was listed as having been acquired in Russia circa 1900 by the father of the owner.

1.  Signed lower left A:Storck/Fecit, oil on canvas, 22 by 30 in.