Albers, Josef, 1888-1976

Variant names
Detailed View Revision History Sources

Hide Profile

Josef Albers was born on March 19, 1888 in Bottrop, Westphalia, Germany, the only child of Lorenz Albers, a housepainter, and Magdelena (Schumacher) Albers. He attended the Präparanden-Schule in Langenhorst from 1902 to 1905 and then the teachers college in Büren, graduating in 1908. He became an instructor in several Westphalian primary schools.

Albers studied at the Royal Art School in Berlin, the Arts and Crafts School (Folkwang School)in Essen, and at the Art Academy in Munich under Franz Stuck before enrolling at the Bauhaus in Weimar in 1920. In 1923, he became an instructor and in 1925, when the school was transplanted to Dessau, he became a Bauhausmeister, teaching his fundamental design course. He remained in that position in Dessau and Berlin until 1933, when under pressure from National Socialism, the school was shut down. In that year, Albers emigrated to the United States, becoming a professor of painting at Black Mountain College in North Carolina.

In 1949, Albers moved to Yale University where he taught in the Department of Design and served as Chairman of the Art Department. Following his retirement in 1960, Albers continued to live in New Haven with his wife, textile artist Anni Albers.

Albers served as a guest teacher in Ulm, Germany, and in many colleges and art schools in the United States, Mexico, and South America. He was also an author of poems and books concerning art theory. He died on March 25, 1976 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Colette Roberts Papers and Interviews with Artists Archives of American Art
creatorOf Bauhaus typography collection, 1919-1937, undated Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Albers, Josef, 1888-1976. Josef Alber : Artist File. International Center of Photography
creatorOf Albers, Anni. Assorted papers relating to Bauhaus designers, 1919-1984. Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.). The photographs of Josef Albers. 1988 : Archives pamphlet file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Correspondence with Carl Zigrosser, 1936-1940. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Wassily Kandinsky papers, 1911-1940, 1921-1937 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Papers, 1921-1969, (bulk 1938-1969) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Letter : to Ursula Weiss, 1932. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Josef Albers artist file. Whitney Museum of American Art, Library
referencedIn Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Papers, 1921-1969, (bulk 1938-1969) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Eva Lee Gallery records Archives of American Art
creatorOf Josef Albers papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Busch-Reisinger Museum collection of Bauhaus materials, 1919-1955 (bulk). Busch-Reisinger Museum, Harvard University Art Museums
referencedIn Papers of Trude Guermonprez, 1947-1976 The Paul Mills Library and Archives of California Art
referencedIn Bayer, Irene. Photographs of Bauhaus faculty and students, ca. 1928-ca. 1934. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Lydia and Harry Lewis Winston papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Josef Albers papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Albers, Josef, 1888-1976 : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn Wu, King-Lui. King-Lui Wu papers, 1942-1991 (inclusive). Yale University Library
creatorOf Stanford University. Dept. of Art. Stanford University, Art Department, files regarding Albers Wall, 1973-1980. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Oral history interview with Katharine Kuh Archives of American Art
referencedIn Yale Literary Magazine. Yale Literary Magazine records, 1847-1959 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn King-Lui Wu papers, 1942-1991 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Oral history interview with Katharine Kuh Archives of American Art
referencedIn Albers, Anni. Reminiscences of Anni Albers : oral history, 1985. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Howard Dearstyne Papers, 1911-1986, (bulk 1953-1971) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Josef Albers papers, 1899-1973 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf American Abstract Artists records Archives of American Art
creatorOf Colette Roberts Papers and Interviews with Artists Archives of American Art
referencedIn Photographs of twentieth-century artists, exhibitions, installations, and studio views, circa 1900-1990 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Avis Berman research material on Katharine Kuh Archives of American Art
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Josef Albers letter to Howard Levy, 1971. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
referencedIn James Lord papers, 1917-2003, 1946-2003 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
contributorOf Harald Szeemann Papers
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Josef Albers papers, 1899-1973 (inclusive), 1934-1973 (bulk). Yale University Library
referencedIn Matter, Herbert, 1907-1984. Herbert Matter papers, circa 1937-1984. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Abstract art around the world today Archives of American Art
referencedIn Thomas, Howard, 1899-1971. Howard Thomas papers, 1888, 1895, 1899-1974 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Library Collection of Study Photographs and Clippings, ca. 1930-2000 Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, The Clark
creatorOf Catherine Viviano Gallery records Archives of American Art
referencedIn R. Buckminster Fuller Papers Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Artists' Gallery records Archives of American Art
creatorOf Rutherford Boyd papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf James Brooks and Charlotte Park papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Charles G. Shaw Papers, 1916-1964 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Walter Gropius papers in the Bauhaus-Archiv, ca. 1919-1937. Houghton Library
creatorOf Mills College Art Gallery letters Archives of American Art
referencedIn Mervin Lane Manuscripts North Carolina Division of Archives & Hist
creatorOf Hildebrandt, Hans. Hans and Lily Hildebrandt Papers, 1899-1979. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Jane Sabersky papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Beckmann, Hannes, 1909-1977. Papers, 1928-1977. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Will Henry Stevens papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Raymond Jonson papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
creatorOf Richard Lippold papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Library Collection of Study Photographs and Clippings, ca. 1930-2000 Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, The Clark
referencedIn Howard Dearstyne Papers, 1911-1986, (bulk 1953-1971) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Clemens Kalischer papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Brooklyn Museum. Dept. of Photography. Records, Exhibition negatives: installations. Thirty Years of Collecting by Una E. Johnson. 1969. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
creatorOf Mitch Tuchman papers relating to the book Painters Painting Archives of American Art
referencedIn Giopulos, Peter,. Peter Giopulos files on campus art 1999-2004 RIT Library, Wallace Library
creatorOf J. B. Neumann papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Eisenhart, Richard H., 1915-2010,. Richard H. Eisenhart papers 1938-1990 RIT Library, Wallace Library
referencedIn Lydia Winston Malbin papers, 1891-1997, 1938-1997 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Libraries. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Library audio archive collection, 1969-2004. Smithsonian Institution. Libraries
referencedIn Frans Wildenhain papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Hannes Beckmann papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Bauhaus typography collection, 1919-1937, undated Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Stanford University, Art Department, files regarding Albers Wall, 1973-1980 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn John A. Parker papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Tiger's Eye records, 1939-1955 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. Papers, 1925-1969 (bulk: 1937-1969) Houghton Library
creatorOf Tschichold, Jan, 1902-1974. Jan and Edith Tschichold papers, 1899-1979 (bulk 1920-1938). Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Albers, Josef, 1888-1976. Josef Alber : Artist File. International Center of Photography
creatorOf Black Mountain College. Letters, 1940-1947, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Brooklyn Museum records Archives of American Art
referencedIn Walter and Ise Gropius papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Gyorgy Kepes papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Guthrie Foster papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Vaclav Vytlacil papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Katharine Kuh papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Peter Milton papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Bauhaus student work, 1919-1933 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Bauhaus student work, 1919-1933 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Hans and Lily Hildebrandt papers, 1899-1979 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars. Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars records. 1927-1949. New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Frankforter, Katherine. Class notes from Black Mountain College, 1942-1945. Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Katharine Kuh papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Eva Lee Gallery records Archives of American Art
creatorOf Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. Walter Gropius papers, 1925-1969 (inclusive), 1937-1969 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Dearstyne, Howard. Papers, 1911-1986 (bulk 1953-1971). Library of Congress
creatorOf Burton Wasserman papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Vaclav Vytlacil papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Collection on RIT campus art 1955-2003 RIT Library, Wallace Library
referencedIn George Grosz papers, 1893-1981 (inclusive) 1919-1959 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Josef Albers letters to the New York Public Library, 1954, 1972, undated The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives.
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Josef Albers : artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1930?-1990 [graphic] [compiled by staff of The Museum of Modern Art, New York]. Frick Art Reference Library of The Frick Collection
referencedIn Michael Loew papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Elsa Schmid papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Conrad, Hans Gunter. William S. Huff papers, Hochschule für Gestaltung (Ulm, Germany) collection, 1953- SUNY at Buffalo, University at Buffalo
referencedIn Assorted papers relating to Bauhaus designers, 1919-1984 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Josef Albers : vertical file. Centre canadien d'architecture, | Canadian Centre for Architecture | CCA
referencedIn Lydia Winston Malbin papers, 1891-1997, 1938-1997 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Marian Gore "Art Scene" interviews and papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Lyonel Feininger papers, 1883-1960. Houghton Library
creatorOf Albers, Josef, 1888-1976. [Josef Albers] : artist file John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library, Ringling Museum Library
referencedIn American Federation of Arts records Archives of American Art
referencedIn Katherine S. Dreier papers / Société Anonyme archive, 1818-1952, 1920-1951 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn José de Creeft papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf Josef Albers letters to J. B. Neumann Archives of American Art
referencedIn Hans Namuth photographs and papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn American Federation of Arts records Archives of American Art
referencedIn Arnold Newman photographs of artists Archives of American Art
referencedIn Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944. Wassily Kandinsky papers, 1911-1940 (bulk 1921-1937). Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Bauhaus. Postcards about the Bauhaus, 1922-1926. Getty Research Institute
creatorOf Wiessner, Georg Gustav, 1893-. Correspondence, 1930-1957. Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Katherine S. Dreier papers / Société Anonyme archive, 1818-1952, 1920-1951 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Tiger's eye records, 1939-1955. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Josef Albers : [vertical file]. Morris Museum of Art Library
referencedIn Herbert Matter papers, ca. 1937-1984 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Albers, Josef. Correspondence to Edward F. Fry, 1973-1975. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Albers, Josef : Biographical file. Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
referencedIn Asawa, Ruth. Ruth Asawa papers, circa 1948-2007. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Oral history interview with Joseph Warren McCullough Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Merry Renk Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Ilya Bolotowsky Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with V. V. Rankine Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with John Cage Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Richard Lippold Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Alison Knowles Archives of American Art
creatorOf Oral history interview with Josef Albers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Ruth Asawa and Albert Lanier Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Bernard Chaet Archives of American Art
creatorOf Interviews of artists by Brian O'Doherty Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Robert Rauschenberg Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Richard Anuszkiewicz Archives of American Art

Filters:

Connection Graph Radial Graph
Relation Name
associatedWith Albers, Anni. person
spouseOf Albers, Anni, 1899-1994 person
associatedWith Albers, Josef, 1888-1976. person
associatedWith Albers, Josef, 1928- person
associatedWith American Abstract Artists. corporateBody
associatedWith American Federation of Arts corporateBody
associatedWith American Federation of Arts. corporateBody
associatedWith Anuszkiewicz, Richard person
associatedWith Arp, Hans Jean, 1887-1966. person
associatedWith Arp, Jean, 1887-1966 person
associatedWith Artists' Gallery (New York, N.Y) corporateBody
associatedWith Asawa, Ruth, person
associatedWith Baltimore Museum of Art corporateBody
associatedWith Baltimore Museum of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Bauhaus corporateBody
associatedWith Bauhaus. corporateBody
associatedWith Baumeister, Willi, 1889-1955 person
associatedWith Baumeister, Willi, 1889-1955. person
associatedWith Bayer, Irene. person
associatedWith Beckmann, Hannes, 1909-1977. person
associatedWith Berman, Avis. person
employeeOf Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, N.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, N.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Bolotowsky, Ilya, 1907-1981, person
associatedWith Boyd, Rutherford, 1882-1951. person
associatedWith Brooklyn Museum. corporateBody
associatedWith Brooklyn Museum. Dept. of Photography. corporateBody
associatedWith Brooks, James, 1906- person
associatedWith Cage, John 1912-1992 person
associatedWith Catherine Viviano Gallery. corporateBody
associatedWith Chaet, Bernard person
correspondedWith Dearstyne, Howard. person
correspondedWith Dearstyne, Howard. person
associatedWith De Creeft, José, 1884-1982. person
associatedWith Dreier, Katherine Sophie, 1877-1952 person
associatedWith Dreier, Katherine Sophie, 1877-1952. person
associatedWith Eisenhart, Richard H., 1915-2010, person
associatedWith Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Scholars corporateBody
associatedWith Eva Lee Gallery corporateBody
associatedWith Eva Lee Gallery. corporateBody
associatedWith Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956 person
correspondedWith Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956 person
associatedWith Feininger, Lyonel, 1871-1956. person
associatedWith Fesci, Sevim, person
associatedWith Foster, Guthrie. person
associatedWith Frankforter, Katherine. person
associatedWith Fuller, R. Buckminster (Richard Buckminster), 1895-1983 person
associatedWith Getty Research Institute corporateBody
associatedWith Getty Research Library corporateBody
associatedWith Giopulos, Peter, person
associatedWith Gore, Marian L., person
correspondedWith Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969 person
associatedWith Gropius, Walter, 1883-1969. person
correspondedWith Grosz, George, 1893-1959 person
associatedWith Guermonprez, Trude, 1910-1976 person
associatedWith Harvard University. Graduate School of Design. corporateBody
associatedWith Harvard University. Graduate School of Design. corporateBody
associatedWith Heckel, Erich, 1883-1970. person
associatedWith Hildebrandt, Hans person
associatedWith Hildebrandt, Hans. person
associatedWith Hildebrandt, Lily, 1889-1974 person
associatedWith Itten, Johannes, 1888-1967. person
associatedWith Jonson, Raymond, 1891-1982. person
associatedWith Kalischer, Clemens, 1921- person
associatedWith Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944 person
associatedWith Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944. person
associatedWith Kepes, Gyorgy, 1906-2001. person
associatedWith Kirchner, Ernst Ludwig, 1880-1938. person
associatedWith Knowles, Alison, 1933- person
associatedWith Kuh, Katharine person
associatedWith Kuh, Katharine person
associatedWith Lane, Mervin. person
associatedWith Leake, Eugene, 1911- person
associatedWith Leake, Eugene, 1911- person
correspondedWith Levy, Howard person
associatedWith Lippold, Richard, 1915- person
associatedWith Loew, Michael, 1907-1985. person
associatedWith Lord, James. person
associatedWith Margo Leavin Gallery corporateBody
associatedWith Matter, Herbert. person
associatedWith Matter, Herbert, 1907-1984. person
associatedWith McCullough, Joseph Warren, 1922- person
correspondedWith Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig, 1886-1969 person
associatedWith Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig, 1886-1969. person
associatedWith Mills College. Art Gallery. corporateBody
associatedWith Milton, Peter, 1930- person
associatedWith Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. corporateBody
associatedWith Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Namuth, Hans. person
associatedWith Neumann, J. B. (Jsrael Ber) person
associatedWith Newman, Arnold, 1918-2006. person
associatedWith Parker, John A. (John Albert) person
associatedWith Rankine, V. V., 1920-2004 person
associatedWith Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008 person
associatedWith Renk, Merry, 1921- person
associatedWith Roberts, Colette, 1910- person
associatedWith Sabersky, Jane, 1911?-1983. person
associatedWith Schlemmer, Oskar, 1888-1943 person
associatedWith Schlemmer, Oskar, 1888-1943. person
associatedWith Schmid, Elsa, 1897- person
associatedWith Schmidt-Rottluff, Karl, 1884-1976. person
associatedWith Shaw, Charles Green, 1892- person
associatedWith Stanford University. Art Department. corporateBody
associatedWith Stanford University. Dept. of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Stevens, Will Henry, 1881-1949. person
associatedWith Stuck, Franz, Ritter von, 1863-1928. person
associatedWith Szeemann, Harald, 1933-2005 person
associatedWith Taeuber-Arp, Sophie, 1889-1943 person
associatedWith Taeuber-Arp, Sophie, 1889-1943. person
associatedWith Tamarind Lithography Workshop. corporateBody
associatedWith The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Thomas, Howard, 1899-1971. person
associatedWith Tschichold, Jan, 1902-1974. person
associatedWith Tuchman, Mitch. person
associatedWith Tyler, Kenneth E. person
associatedWith Vytlacil, Vaclav person
associatedWith Vytlacil, Vaclav, 1892-1984. person
associatedWith Wasserman, Burton. person
associatedWith Weiss, Ursula. person
associatedWith Whitney Museum of American Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Wiessner, Georg Gustav, 1893- person
associatedWith Wildenhain, Frans, 1905-1980. person
associatedWith Winston, Lydia, 1897- person
associatedWith Winston, Lydia, 1897- person
associatedWith Wu, King-Lui. person
associatedWith Wu, King-Lui. person
associatedWith Yale Literary Magazine. corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University. Faculty. corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University. School of Art and Architecture. corporateBody
associatedWith Yale University. School of Art and Architecture. corporateBody
associatedWith York University (Toronto, Ont.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New Haven CT US
Bottrop (Germany)
Subject
Art, Modern
Art, American
Art
Art
Art
Artists
Art teachers
Collagists
Die Brücke (Dresden)
Language and languages
Painters
Painters
Photocollage
Printmakers
Stained glass artists
Occupation
Painter
Activity

Person

Birth 1888-03-19

Death 1976-03-25

Americans

Spanish; Castilian,

German,

English,

French

Related Descriptions
Virtual International Authority File Wikidata Virtual International Authority File WorldCat Identities LC/NACO Wikidata
Search Elsewhere
ArchiveGrid Search DPLA Search
Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62s4jst

Ark ID: w62s4jst

SNAC ID: 88067439