Archives of American Art

John Canaday papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.canajohn
Creators:
Canaday, John, 1907-1985
Dates:
1932-1973
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
5.44 Linear feet
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Correspondence; scrapbooks; writings; and clippings.
Scope and Contents
Reels D257-D259: Scrapbooks containing clippings of art columns from newspapers, 1932-1962. 16 volumes.
Scope and Contents
Reel 1393: Correspondence which Canaday received and sent as art critic for the "New York Times". The letters are mostly from the general public, but also from museum staff, other critics, and artists. Many are about the Metropolitian Museum of Art and Barnett Newman. Correspondents include Jacob Burck, Edward and Rosamund Corbett, Stuart Davis, Thomas Hoving, Majorie and Virginia Lewisjohn, Bob Osborne, E. P. Richardson, and Tessim Zorach. Other items include drafts of articles, clippings, and a photo of Canaday in Venice, 1935.
Scope and Contents
Reel 3482: A letter to Canaday, October 7, 1960, from Si Lewen regarding Canaday's "call for a 'moratorium on art' and an invitation to all artists to occupy themselves with domestic service."
Scope and Contents
Reel 4909: A one page letter to Canaday from Nora Scott, February 18, 1973.
Scope and Contents
Unmicrofilmed: A letter from Balcomb Greene to John Canaday, March 14, 1960, written upon reading a review by Canaday of an exhibition of members of the American Abstract Artists art organization, in which Greene provides information and his reminiscences about the organization and several of its members.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
John Canaday (1907-1985) was an art critic in New York, N.Y.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels D257-D259, NYJC1-NYJC6, 1393, 3482, and 4909 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Reels NYJC1-NYJC 6: Originals located in Syracuse University, Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Material on reels 1393, 3482, D257-D259, and 4909 was donated 1966-1974 by John Canaday. Material on reels NYJC1-NYJC6 was lent for microfilming 1965 by Canaday. He subsequently donated the papers he lent to Syracuse University.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Related Materials
Also in the Archives are papers lent for microfilming in 1965 by John Canaday (microfilm reels NYJC1-NYJC6), including correspondence with artists and others regarding Canaday's articles and reviews written for the New York Times, 1959-1965. Among the correspondents are George Biddle, Balcomb Greene, Adolf Dehn, Ernest Fiene, Joseph Hirsch, Karl Knaths, I. Rice Pereira, Nathaniel Poussette-Dart, Henry Varnum Poor, Selden Rodman, Jack Twoarkov, and William Zorach.
Related Materials
John Canaday papers are also located at Syracuse University.

More Information

Other Finding Aids

Other Finding Aids
Microfilm inventory for papers lent for microfilming on microfilm reels NYJC1-NYJC 6 is available at Archives of American Art offices.


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art critics Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newman, Barnett, 1905-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Abstract Artists Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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