Jerusalem 1950

Jean David created this 'Jerusalem' painting with, what looks like, gouache and maybe some acrylic on board, a process of layering and simplifying. There is something incredibly satisfying about the way David flattens the scene into these almost childlike shapes, all those greys and browns forming a somewhat somber, almost brutalist rendition of the city. Look at the sky: patches of grey, white and blue, they almost look like floating islands. And the walls: built up of individual blocks, each a slightly different shade. It’s like David is saying, "Here is Jerusalem, not as a postcard, but as a place of construction, of layers and textures, where history and the present collide." It reminds me a bit of some of the early modernist painters, like Léger, who were also interested in reducing the world to its essential forms, though maybe with a bit more grit and earthiness. The painting encourages us to slow down, look closely, and appreciate the many layers that make up this iconic city.