The God of War 1937

Jules Perahim made this painting, The God of War, with thin paint and spare lines. There’s a raw immediacy to the marks that shows the thinking, feeling hand. The painting’s surface is smooth, almost like glass, which makes the figure seem even more unreal, like a shadow puppet. The colours are muted, except for the bright red of the knife. It’s a brutal contrast, drawing your eye to the violence. Look at the way the artist has rendered the flames in a simple, almost childlike way. It’s like a dark fairy tale, both disturbing and strangely beautiful. It puts me in mind of the dreamlike imagery of Leonora Carrington, who also explored themes of war and mythology in her work. Ultimately, this painting raises more questions than it answers, embracing the ambiguity that makes art so compelling.