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Albert Kahn (banker)
Encyclopedia
Albert Kahn was a French banker and philanthropist. He was born Abraham Kahn at Marmoutier
, Bas-Rhin
, France on 3 March 1860, into a Jewish family, one of 5 children of his parents, Louis and Babette Kahn. He died at Boulogne-Billancourt
, Hauts-de-Seine
, France on 14 November 1940.
In 1879 Kahn became a bank clerk in Paris, but studied for a degree in the evenings. His tutor was Henri Bergson
, who remained his friend all his life. He graduated in 1881 and continued to mix in intellectual circles, making friends with Auguste Rodin
and Mathurin Méheut
. In 1892 Kahn became a principal associate of the Goudchaux Bank, which was regarded as one of most important financial houses of Europe.
In 1893 Kahn acquired a large property in Boulogne-Billancourt
, where he established a unique garden containing a variety of garden styles including English
, Japanese
, a rose garden and a conifer wood. This became a meeting place for French and European intelligentsia until the 1930s when due to the Crash of 1929, Kahn became bankrupt. At that time the garden was turned into a public park in which Kahn would still take walks. Kahn died during the Nazi occupation of France.
. Between 1909 and 1931 they collected 72,000 colour photographs and 183,000 meters of film. These form a unique historical record of 50 countries, known as "The Archives of the Planet".
Kahn's photographers began documenting France in 1914, just days before the outbreak of World War I, and by liaising with the military managed to record both the devastation of war, and the struggle to continue everyday life and agricultural work.
He also promoted education at the highest level through travelling scholarships.
The economic crisis of the Great Depression
ruined Kahn and put an end to his project.
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Since 1986 the photographs have been collected into a museum at 14, Rue du Port, Boulogne-Billancourt
, Paris, at the site of his garden. It is now a French national museum and includes four hectares of gardens, as well as the museum which houses his historic photographs and film.
Marmoutier
Marmoutier is a commune in the Bas-Rhin département in Alsace in north-eastern France. The origin of the place is the former Marmoutier Abbey, of which the abbey church still serves as the parish church. It is a commune in the Bas-Rhin département in Alsace in north-eastern France.-History:In 590 St...
, Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
, France on 3 March 1860, into a Jewish family, one of 5 children of his parents, Louis and Babette Kahn. He died at Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
, France on 14 November 1940.
In 1879 Kahn became a bank clerk in Paris, but studied for a degree in the evenings. His tutor was Henri Bergson
Henri Bergson
Henri-Louis Bergson was a major French philosopher, influential especially in the first half of the 20th century. Bergson convinced many thinkers that immediate experience and intuition are more significant than rationalism and science for understanding reality.He was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize...
, who remained his friend all his life. He graduated in 1881 and continued to mix in intellectual circles, making friends with Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
and Mathurin Méheut
Mathurin Méheut
Mathurin Méheut was a French painter, ceramicist, engraver, and etcher best known for his depictions of Breton scenes, the sea, and nature....
. In 1892 Kahn became a principal associate of the Goudchaux Bank, which was regarded as one of most important financial houses of Europe.
In 1893 Kahn acquired a large property in Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, where he established a unique garden containing a variety of garden styles including English
English garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
, Japanese
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
, a rose garden and a conifer wood. This became a meeting place for French and European intelligentsia until the 1930s when due to the Crash of 1929, Kahn became bankrupt. At that time the garden was turned into a public park in which Kahn would still take walks. Kahn died during the Nazi occupation of France.
Photograph collection
In 1909 Kahn travelled with his chauffeur and photographer, Alfred Dutertre to Japan on business and returned with many photographs of the journey. This prompted him to begin a project collecting a photographic record of the entire Earth. He appointed Jean Brunhes as the project director, and sent photographers to every continent to record images of the planet using the first colour photography, autochrome plates, and early cinematographyHistory of film
The history of film is the historical development of the medium known variously as cinema, motion pictures, film, or the movies.The history of film spans over 100 years, from the latter part of the 19th century to the present day...
. Between 1909 and 1931 they collected 72,000 colour photographs and 183,000 meters of film. These form a unique historical record of 50 countries, known as "The Archives of the Planet".
Kahn's photographers began documenting France in 1914, just days before the outbreak of World War I, and by liaising with the military managed to record both the devastation of war, and the struggle to continue everyday life and agricultural work.
He also promoted education at the highest level through travelling scholarships.
The economic crisis of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
ruined Kahn and put an end to his project.
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, Paris, at the site of his garden. It is now a French national museum and includes four hectares of gardens, as well as the museum which houses his historic photographs and film.
External links
- Albert-kahn Museum and Gardens (Paris) website
- The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn – BBC book site, including examples of Kahn's autochromes
- Albert Kahn Foundation Albert Kahn travelling fellowship
- Edwardians In Colour: The Wonderful World Of Albert Kahn – BBC TV programme April 2007 Description of the Gardens today by Jacqueline Mcgrath at The New York Times. 30 March 1997