Edward Alden Jewell

American art critic

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July 16, 2026

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Edward Alden Jewell was an American art critic known for his work with The New York Times. He was notably critical of the Abstract Expressionist movement, a stance that led to a public exchange with artists Adolph Gottlieb and Mark Rothko in 1943, who defended their work in a statement published in the Times. Jewell's critical reporting, alongside that of John Canaday, highlighted the growing media coverage and controversy surrounding contemporary art in the mid-20th century.1

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art criticism
Avant-garde art comes to America
…as the critical reporting of Edward Alden Jewell and John Canaday in the Times indicated—the former was “befuddled” by Abstract Expressionism, the latter skeptical of it. Abstract artists themselves became critics in an attempt to clarify and justify their work. A decisive moment occurred in 1943, when Adolph Gottlieb and…
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…as the critical reporting of Edward Alden Jewell and John Canaday in the Times indicated—the former was “befuddled” by Abstract Expressionism, the latter skeptical of it. Abstract artists themselves became critics in an attempt to clarify and justify their work. A decisive moment occurred in 1943, when Adolph Gottlieb and…
Read More