卡恩个人肖像



名称: Nomads near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/蒙古乌兰巴托附近的牧民
类别: Gelatin Silver Print/银盐照片
日期: 1920s
尺寸: 18x26cm


Albert Kahn (March 3, 1860-November 14, 1940) was a French banker and philanthropist based in Paris. A man of remarkable vision, Kahn purchased an estate and created the “Gardens of the World” (Les Jardins du Monde), which became a gathering place for intellectuals from France and across Europe. The gardens welcomed thinkers from different countries—including French, English, and Japanese visitors—reflecting Kahn’s aspiration to create a utopian space where diverse ideas could coexist harmoniously.


阿尔伯特·卡恩/Albert Kahn (1860年3月3日-1940年11月14日) ，是法国巴黎的一位银行家、慈善家。卡恩极其富有思想，他购买一块田宅创办了一个“世界花园”（法语；Les Jardins du Monde），这里成为了法国和欧洲知识分子的聚会场所。 世界花园汇集了来自不同的国家的知识分子包括法国人、英语人、日本人，卡恩似乎在建立一个世界的乌托邦，在这里不同的思想可以和谐共处。 

In the early 20th century, Kahn employed over ten photographers to carry out a global photographic project. Between 1909 and 1931, they captured approximately 72,000 color photographs, 4,000 stereoscopic images, and more than 100 hours of film, collectively known as the “Archives of the Planet”. Kahn’s team traveled across all continents, visiting over 50 countries, documenting local cultures, customs, and landscapes.

The global financial crisis of 1929 forced Kahn into bankruptcy, ending his international photographic project. He later died on November 14, 1940, in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the Seine near Paris, during the German occupation of France. 

Kahn began his world travels in November 1908, departing from Cherbourg, France, with stops in the United States and Japan, and arrived in China in January 1909 with his driver. At that time, Empress Dowager Cixi had just passed away, and Puyi ascended the throne under the regency of Prince Chun. Kahn’s photographs captured China just before the fall of the Qing Dynasty, producing some of the earliest color images of the country, which remain invaluable historical records.  

Today, these photographs, along with the short films Kahn produced during his travels, are preserved at the Albert-Kahn Museum and Gardens in France, which opened to the public in 1990. The museum stands on the original site of Kahn’s “Gardens of the World,” continuing to showcase his vision of a global cultural archive.  

20世纪初期，他雇用了10多名摄影师，在全球范围内进行他的摄影计划。1909至1931年间，他共拍摄收集了大约72000张彩色照片，4000张立体照片以及超过100小时的电影胶片，这一系列的照片和影像被称为“地球档案”。他的足迹遍布世界各大洲，横跨50多个国家，记录了各国不同的风土人情。1929年经济大萧条的危机卡恩破产，他结束了全球拍摄计划，卡恩在德国纳粹占领法国期间于1940年11月14日死于法国上塞纳河畔的布洛涅·比扬古（Saint-Mihiel）。 

1908年11月，卡恩从法国瑟堡起航，开始周游世界，途经美国、日本，并于1909年1月和他的司机抵达中国。当时，慈禧太后刚去世，溥仪登基，他的父亲醇亲王负责执政。卡恩 记录下了清朝帝制被推翻前的中国。这也是记录中国最早的一批彩色照片，无疑是一份珍贵的历史记录。这些照片现在收藏于法国的卡恩博物馆（Albert-Kahn museum and garden），该博物馆于1990年对公众开放，馆内还有卡恩当时在这些国家拍摄的短片电影，卡恩博物馆是他“世界花园”的原址。 >>返回>>