Monday, 14 June 2010

Albert Kahn Gardens in early Summer

The Musée Albert Kahn is based at Kahn's former home at Boulogne-Billancourt on the western outskirts of Paris - together with his magnificent garden, which includes a Japanese-style garden, a small forest and an area that is an interesting combination of rose trees and espaliered fruit trees.

Wikipedia has a lot of information about Kahn, and the BBC made a documentary about him.

He was a millionaire French banker and philanthropist (yes, odd combination) who set out in 1909 to create a colour photographic record of, and for, the peoples of the world. Wikipedia says that as an idealist and internationalist, Kahn believed he could use colour photography to create cross-cultural peace and understanding.

Kahn paid for photographers to travel to more than fifty countries during wars, the fall of empires and the growth of globalisation. His photographic legacy in the museum is considered to be the world's most important collection of early colour photographs.

At Boulogne and at his other homes throughout the world, Kahn welcomed visits from many friends. There are photos and films of visits to Boulogne by Tagore, the Indian poet (the first Asian to be granted the Nobel Prize for Literature) and his family.

The Wall Street Crash destroyed Kahn's fortune and he died in 1940, with the French State owning his assets.














And I'll add one taken at the same spot in January this year ! ...

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