Teaching

Teaching includes materials created and collected by Josef Albers in his capacity as a teacher and administrator at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau, Germany; at Black Mountain College in Black Mountain, North Carolina, United States; at Hochschule fur Gestaltung (HfG), Ulm, Germany; and finally at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States.

Materials regarding the Bauhaus include correspondence, course descriptions, meeting minutes, and printed materials. Of note is the material regarding the closure and reopening of the school in 1933. Other material relating to the Bauhaus is found in the Subject Files series.

The bulk of the subseries is contained in the Black Mountain College materials, which includes correspondence, administrative files, speeches, writings by Josef and other faculty members on the college, reports, lists, printed materials on the college, course descriptions and notes, teaching notes, and songs written by students about the college. Highlights of the materials include the Alberses’ first letters from the United States to friends in Germany; a eulogy for Mark Dreier written by Josef; letters regarding the resignation of Jonathan Andrew Rice, Josef Albers and Theodore (Ted) Dreier; Josef’s logo design for the college; several speeches by Josef given around the country to grow support for the college; course notes of Si Sillman and Harry Seidler; a humorous birthday card made by students for Josef; and the near complete run of Black Mountain College Bulletins.

Josef’s time as visiting professor at the Hochschule fur Gestaltung in Ulm is reflected in correspondence and printed materials, including correspondence with school founders Inge Aicher-Scholl and Max Bill, and colleague Gui Bonsiepe. Of note is the report by Josef on his course in basic drawing, design and color and the various notes and documents collected by Josef relating to the school.

Materials regarding Josef’s tenure as professor at Yale University in the newly formed School of Design and following his retirement is primarily documented through correspondence, notes and printed materials. Included among the materials is a 1961 petition requesting that Josef return as a visiting painting critic, “Ten Commandments for Color Course” (author unidentified), and the various Yale publications with contents on Josef.

Finally, the subseries includes various teaching materials demonstrating Josef’s teaching exercises employed throughout his career, such as Matiere materials, typofacture materials, sketches and drawings, and various
printed materials.

It is important to note that Albers disliked administrative work and avoided generating material in the conduct of administrative affairs. Therefore, there are few files reflecting his administrative work found in the subseries. Albers donated the bulk of his papers relating to his tenure as Chairman of the Department of Design at Yale to the Manuscripts and Archives Collection of Yale University (see Box 41, Folders 20 and 21)