How did Abstract Expressionism fit Clement Greenberg’s idea of Modernism?

Clement Greenberg, a prominent American art critic and champion of formalism, viewed Abstract Expressionism as a pivotal stage in the evolution of Modernist painting.12

Greenberg’s theory of Modernism posited that art should focus on its "areas of specialization"—the intrinsic qualities of its medium, such as canvas and paint—rather than on narrative or descriptive content. He argued that the history of 20th-century art was a progressive "purification" process, where artists eliminated extraneous elements to reach a state of aesthetic unity.12

Abstract Expressionism fit this framework because Greenberg saw it as a movement that moved toward pure abstraction, emphasizing the material reality of the work. For example, he praised paintings that acknowledged their own flatness through the application of color. By stripping away literary or anecdotal references, he believed these works achieved a self-sufficient, autonomous status. Ultimately, Greenberg positioned Abstract Expressionism as a "sublime" peak in a historical trajectory that moved from early European innovation toward increasingly pure, formalist abstraction.12