Albert Kahn (banker)
Albert Kahn | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Marmoutier, Bas-Rhin, France |
| Died | November 14, 1940 (aged 80) Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, humanitarian |
| Known for | Founding The Archives of the Planet |
Albert Kahn (3 March 1860 – 14 November 1940) was a notable French financier and humanitarian, best known for founding The Archives of the Planet, an extensive 22-year photographic initiative that collected 72,000 colour images and 183,000 metres of film footage.
Early life
Originally named Abraham Kahn, he was born in Marmoutier, Bas-Rhin, France, as the eldest among four siblings. His father, Louis Kahn, was a Jewish cattle trader, and his mother was Babette Kahn (née Bloch). After losing his mother at age ten and following the 1871 German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine, the family moved to Saint-Mihiel in 1872. Between 1873 and 1876, Kahn attended Collège de Saverne.
In 1879, he started working as a bank clerk in Paris while attending evening classes under the tutelage of Henri Bergson, who remained a lifelong confidant. Upon graduating in 1881, Kahn became involved with intellectual circles, establishing friendships with prominent figures such as Auguste Rodin and Mathurin Méheut. By 1892, he had risen to a leading position at Goudchaux Bank, a major European financial institution. Additionally, he contributed to higher education by funding travel scholarships.
Later life
Kahn’s financial situation deteriorated significantly during the Great Depression, which forced him to halt his photographic endeavors. He passed away on 14 November 1940 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France amid the German occupation.
Gardens of the World
In 1893, Kahn purchased land in Boulogne-Billancourt to develop the Gardens of the World (), an ensemble featuring varied landscaping styles such as English, Japanese, a rose garden, and a coniferous woodland. This space became a gathering place for French and European intellectuals until the 1930s. After Kahn’s bankruptcy following the 1929 economic crash, the gardens were converted into a public park where he continued to stroll. The garden embodies an idealistic vision of different cultural traditions living together peacefully.
Archives of the Planet
The Archives of the Planet () was an innovative photographic venture aimed at capturing global cultures and architectural heritage.
Method
In 1909, Kahn journeyed to Japan accompanied by his chauffeur and photographer, Alfred Dutertre, returning with a substantial collection of photographs. Motivated by this experience, he initiated an ambitious project to create an exhaustive visual record of the world. Jean Brunhes was appointed as director, and photographers were dispatched worldwide utilizing early colour photography techniques with autochrome plates and film. Between 1909 and 1931, they collected 72,000 colour photographs and recorded 183,000 metres of film footage across 50 countries under the banner of The Archives of the Planet.
Beginning in 1914, Kahn’s team focused on documenting France just prior to World War I, collaborating with military authorities to capture both wartime destruction and civilian endurance.
Museum
Since 1986, these images and films have been safeguarded at the Musée Albert-Kahn in Boulogne-Billancourt near Paris, situated within four hectares of gardens on what was once Kahn’s estate.
See also
External links
- Edwardians in Colour: The Remarkable Legacy of Albert Kahn – BBC television feature, April 2007
- A Philosophy in Bloom – The New York Times, March 30, 1997