Clement Greenberg papers, 1937-1983

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A Finding Aid to the Clement Greenberg Papers, 1937-1983 , in the Archives of American Art, by Jayna Hanson

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Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art

Table of Contents:

• Biographical Information
• Overview of the Collection
• How to Use the Collection
• Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Biographical Information

Clement Greenberg was a highly influential art critic working in New York City from the 1940s through the 1960s. He was an advocate of modern art, particulary the abstract expressionist movement, and one of the first critics to recognize the significance of Jackson Pollock's work.

Greenberg was born in 1909 to Russian immigrants in Bronx, New York. After graduating from Syracuse University in 1930, he married and had a child, David. He settled in New York City while working at the United States Customs Department as an appraiser.

In the late 1930s, Clement Greenberg attended a meeting of the U.S. Works Progress Administration and heard Hans Hofmann speak of avant-garde art. In 1939, he wrote one of his first important critical pieces "Avant-Garde and Kitsch" for the Partisan Review. Greenberg argued that the avant-garde art movement rose out of the need to defend and maintain high art standards against the decline in taste brought about by America's consumerism and capitalist culture.

In 1940, Greenberg joined Partisan Review as an editor. He became art critic for the Nation in 1942, and was associate editor of Commentary from 1945 until 1957. In December 1950, he joined the CIA-fronted American Committee for Cultural Freedom.

Throughout the 1940s through the 1960s Greenberg continued to write and, in his essays and articles, he promoted the work of Abstract Expressionists, among them Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Hans Hofmann, Barnett Newman, and Clyfford Still. He particularly championed Jackson Pollock. Greenberg wrote several seminal essays that defined his views on art history in the 20th century. "Greenberg on Collage" was one one of his most important.

Greenberg's views on pop art were mixed. He also became less enamored with Abstract Impressionism, particularly the second generation. However, he became very interested in the Color-Field and Hard-Edge painters.

Through the 1960s Greenberg's views informed a younger generation of art critics including Michael Fried and Rosalind E. Krauss. Some writers maintain that Greenberg's views were so well-respected that he had too much of an influence on the world of art. In time, Greenberg's antagonism to Postmodernist theories and other modern art movements caused him to lose much of his credibility among both artists and art critics.

Greenberg died at the age of eighty-five in 1994.

Since his death, letters edited by his widow, Janice Van Horne and a re-evaluation of his writings have helped to restore his reputation within the art world.

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Overview of the Collection

Scope and Contents

The papers of influential New York art critic Clement Greenberg measure 8.6 linear feet and date from 1937 to 1983. The bulk of the papers (7 feet) consists of letters from art critics, artists, family, friends, galleries, and museums, with some letters from Greenberg. Correspondents include Edward Avedisian, Darby Bannard, Ethel Baziotes, Jack Bush, Anthony Caro, Gene Davis, Richard Diebenkorn, Piero Dorazio, Friedel Dzubas, Andre Emmerich, Paul Feeley, Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Goodnough, Adolf Gottleib, Hans Hofmann, Philippe Hosiasson, Jacob Kainen, Rosalind Krauss, Robert Motherwell, Ken Moffett, Barnett Newman, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, Beverly Pepper, Ludwig Sander, David Smith, Kimber Smith, Clyfford Still, Anne Truitt, and Leslie Waddington.

Biographical materials include a transcript of an interview with Greenberg conducted by Deborah Solomon in 1983. Greenberg's personal business and financial records include correspondence regarding his lectures and seminars, requests for his writings, student queries, documents regarding his television and radio appearances, royalty statements, and receipts for gifts of works of art. Also found within business records are documents relating to Greenberg's testimony at the Mark Rothko Trial in 1974.

Artwork consists of one etching by Kurt Wisenski entitled "Spring." The papers contain very few of Greenberg's writings about art. Found are lists of artists, and reports written by Greenberg on the state of art in Japan and India in 1967, likely related to his membership in the American Committee for Cultural Freedom. Printed material includes scattered clippings concerning art and exhibition announcements.

One series of ACCESS RESTRICTED papers contains documents relating to Greenberg's role as a trustee in the David Smith estate; correspondence between Greenberg with Andre Emmerich and Peter Fuller, Nuala O'Faolain, and the Greenberg family; and some financial materials regarding the sale and loan of Greenberg's art collection.

Arrangement and Series Description

The collection is arranged as 7 series:

• Series 1: Biographical Information, circa 1950s-1983 (Box 1; 2 folders)
• Series 2: Business and Financial Records, 1940-1983 (Box 1; 12 folders)
• Series 3: Correspondence, 1937-1983 (Boxes 1-8; 7 linear feet)
• Series 4: Artwork, 1973 (Box 8; 1 folder)
• Series 5: Writings and Notes, 1967-1983 (Box 8; 3 folders)
• Series 6: Printed Material, 1950-1982 (Box 8; 2 folders)
• Series 7: Restricted Material, 1963-1983 (Boxes 9-11; 1.2 linear feet)

Subjects and Names

Provenance

Clement Greenberg donated his papers in several accretions between 1984 to 1991.

Separated and Related Materials

Clement Greenberg loaned papers for microfilming on reels N69-91, N70-7, and N737 between 1968-1969. Most, but not all, of these papers were later donated by Greenberg.

The Portland Art Museum holds Clement Greenberg's private art collection as well as a library of exhibition catalogs.

How the Collection was Processed

All accretions, including earlier loaned and microfilmed materials, were merged and processed by Jayna Hanson in 2009 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

How to Use the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Use of original papers requires an appointment. Some of the collection is ACCESS RESTRICTED: documents relating to the estate of David Smith; some correspondence with Peter Fuller, Nuala O'Faolain, and the Greenberg family; and sale and loan agreements. Contact the reference staff for more information about permission to use this portion of the collection.

Ownership & Literary Rights

The Clement Greenberg papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Available Formats

Portions of the papers were originally microfilmed as loans and are still available on microfilm reels N69-91, N70-7, and N737. The arrangement of the papers on microfilm does not match the current arrangement of the papers.

How to Cite this Collection

The Clement Greenberg papers, 1937-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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Detailed Description and Container Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Information, circa 1950s-1983 (Box 1; 2 folders)

Found here are invitations to a dinner honoring Clement Greenberg in 1968, two slides from Mary Frances Judge's "Tribute to a Critic" from 1971, various certificates awarded to Greenberg and a transcript from an interview with Greenberg conducted by Deborah Solomon in 1983.

Series 2: Business and Financial Records, 1948-1983 (Box 1; 12 folders)

Records include correspondence and other documents relating to Greenberg's testimony at the Mark Rothko trial including a subpoena for Greenberg and scattered correspondence; requests for lectures and seminars; recepits and acknowledgements for Greenberg's donations; requests for Greenberg's writings including articles, essays, and television and radio appearances; royalty statements; and queries for Greenberg from students.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1937-1983 (Boxes 1-8; 7.0 linear feet)

Correspondence includes letters to Greenberg and scattered replies. The bulk of letters are from artists, galleries, museums, and publications although some personal correspondence is found. Notable correspondents include: Edward Avedisian, Darby Bannard, Ethel Baziotes, Jack Bush, Anthony Caro, Gene Davis, Richard Diebenkorn, Piero Dorazio, Friedel Dzubas, Andre Emmerich, Paul Feeley, Sam Francis, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Goodnough, Adolf Gottleib, Hans Hofmann, Philippe Hosiasson, Jacob Kainen, Rosalind Krauss, Ken Moffett, Barnett Newman, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, Beverly Pepper, Ludwig Sander, David Smith, Kimber Smith, Clyfford Still, Anne Truitt, and Leslie Waddington among others. Correspondence between Peter Fuller, Andre Emmerich, and Clement Greenberg; Nuala O'Faolain; and the Greenberg family are access restricted.

Series 4: Artwork, 1973, (Box 8; 1 folder)

There is one etching by Kurt Wisenski entitled "Spring."

Series 5: Writings and Notes, 1967-1983 (Box 8; 3 folders)

Found are lists of artists and two reports written by Clement Greenberg about his visits to Japan and India, likely related to his work with the federal government. There are no manuscripts or drafts of his critical writing.

Series 6: Printed Material, 1950-1982 (Box 8; 2 folders)

Found here are scattered exhibition announcements and clippings.

Series 7: ACCESS Restricted Material, 1963-1983 (Boxes 9-11; 1.2 linear feet)

Access restricted materials concern the David Smith estate, personal correspondence with family, Nuala O'Faolain, Peter Fuller, and Andre Emmerich, and sale and loan agreements. Contact the Archives' reference staff for information about access to this portion of the papers.

The series is arranged as 3 subseries:

• 7.1: David Smith Estate Materials, 1965-1982
• 7.2: Correspondence, 1965-1980
• 7.3: Sale and Loan Agreements, 1963-1974

7.1: David Smith Estate Materials, 1965-1982

7.2: Correspondence, 1971-1983

7.3: Personal Business Records, 1963-1974