Robert de Niro

Robert de Niro was a student from fall 1939 to fall 1940 with a focus in the arts.

Written by the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, "Hans Hofmann—who, along with Josef, was considered one of America’s preeminent art teachers—sent his gifted student Robert De Niro to Black Mountain to study with Josef. The Hofmann and Albers “schools” were considered to be polar opposites, but there was, at times, a rapport between the two teachers. Josef considered De Niro to be a fine young painter and took a personal interest in him, working with him on how he fit in with the rest of the student body (he was initially very much of an outsider) and then appealing to others to fund De Niro’s return to the school after the summer break. This is one of many relationships that has been misrepresented at times, with one source suggesting that De Niro threw his paintings out of the window in despair over Josef’s teaching; the two, in fact, had great mutual sympathy."

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Robert in 1976 and the transcript is available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Loan of Albers’ studio and paint brushes out the window incident – Albers study with Hans Hofmann and others and de Niro’s reaction – Josef Albers as teacher – childhood art studies – studies with Ralph Pearson – hearingabout BMC – Robert Metzger in Cleveland – comparison of Hofmann and Albers as teachers – Albers non-influence – Hans Hofmann as teacher – Abstract Expressionism dominance – struggles as young artist – BMC as community – friend Naomi Doniger – visit in 1950s – work as sculptor – poetry and publication – artist and critics – Fritz Bultman – mother [Virginia Admiral] – Provincetown associations – Anaïs Nin – visual (painting) vs verbal (critic) – favored painters

Courses Taken

Fall 1939-40: Color I and II (Albers), DrawingI and II (Albers), CulturalAnthropology (Barnes), Psychological Problems (Straus).

Spring 1939-40: Color II (Albers), Drawing I and II (Albers), PsychologicalProblems (Straus), The English Novel (Kurtz), Piano Lessons (Evarts).

Fall 1940-41: Introductory French (Chenkin), Music (Evarts), IntroductorySpanish (Mangold). Left in middle of semester