Jacobus Storck (1641 – after 1693) , View of Bacharach from the North

View of Bacharach from the North

Oil on canvas

47 x 64 cm.

Signed and dated lower left: J: Storck. 1685.

Jacobus Jansz. Storck was the older brother of Abraham Storck and traveled up the Rhine in 1670, visiting places such as Bonn, Mainz, Bingen, Worms, Speyer, and Aschaffenburg. From sketches made during this journey, he painted wonderful views of these cities, whose charming integration into the hilly landscape must have greatly impressed him. Among his known views of the Rhine Valley is this newly discovered and fully signed view of the city of Bacharach. Another view of Bacharach by the same artist from 1693, showing the medieval city from the south, is held in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen (Inv. No. KMSsp665).

The painter looks south from the northwestern side of the Rhine over the island of Bacharacher Werth towards Bacharach. This island in front of the city was also called Heyles'en Werth, named after the Heileß family who owned the island until the early 18th century. In the 17th century, a small building stood on the island, which can also be seen in the Merian engraving from 1645 and where Gustav Adolph likely stayed when the Swedes captured Bacharach in 1632. In our painting, the floating crane on the Rhine, used for transhipping goods transported by ships, can still be seen behind the island. Today, the Hotel Kranenturm and Kranenstraße still recall this crane. To the right, we discover the Werner Chapel, which is now only visible as a ruin, and the Parish Church of St. Peter, whose distinctive church tower is still easily recognizable today. The horizon is completed by Stahleck Castle, at the foot of which the Zolltor (Customs Gate) near the river and the Sonnenturm (Sun Tower) slightly further up can be seen.