1. Masevaux, les bords de la Doller, Georges Chevalier, Mission : 1918 Alsace-Lorraine - Inv. A14268S, Département des Hauts-de-Seine - Musée départemental Albert Kahn - Collection des Archives de la Planète
From Alsace to the World
The exhibition "From Alsace to the World" exhibition at the National and University Library of Strasbourg (BNU) offers a profound glimpse into Albert Kahn’s monumental project, the "Archives of the Planet". This collection of early 20th-century color photographs and films was created to document the diversity of human life across cultures. Through this exhibition, Kahn’s legacy as an Alsatian-born philanthropist and visionary who sought to bridge cultural divides through images is illuminated, revealing a rich tapestry of global customs, traditions, and ways of life on the brink of modernization.
2. Geispolsheim, nœud vu de dos, Georges Chevalier, Mission : 1918 Alsace-Lorraine - Inv. A15228, Département des Hauts-de-Seine - Musée départemental Albert Kahn - Collection des Archives de la Planète
Albert Kahn, a visionary humanitarian
Albert Kahn (1860–1940) was born in Marmoutier, Alsace, into a modest Jewish family. He moved to Paris in his teenage years and worked his way up in the banking world, amassing a fortune that allowed him to dedicate himself to education, cross-cultural projects, and philanthropy.
His rise in Parisian society coincided with his strong belief in humanistic values, which he sought to manifest through initiatives that promoted mutual understanding, dialogue, and peace between nations and peoples.
In 1909, Kahn launched the "Archives of the Planet", a project to visually document the richness of human life worldwide. His aim was to create an extensive record of human diversity as a tool to foster empathy and tolerance. This massive undertaking, which included 72,000 autochromes and 183,000 meters of film, involved sending photographers and filmmakers around the world to capture images of daily life, social customs, and important events.
The archives of the Planet: capturing humanity in all its diversity
3. Jaipur, une porte de la ville, Stéphane Passet, Mission : 1913-1914 Inde, Pakistan - Inv. A4191, Département des Hauts-de-Seine - Musée départemental Albert Kahn - Collection des Archives de la Planète
The "Archives of the Planet" collection, held by the Musée Albert-Kahn, represents Kahn’s lifelong commitment to fostering understanding through documentation. Kahn believed that by visually capturing the distinct characteristics of global communities, he could offer the world a resource for peace, understanding, and appreciation of diversity.
The collection includes the first large-scale color photographs, using the Lumière brothers’ autochrome technology, as well as silent black-and-white films. Together, these images depict the daily life, rituals, and natural surroundings of people from every inhabited continent.
This massive visual archive reflects the unique perspectives of its photographers and the diverse realities they encountered. As the BNU exhibition demonstrates, the "Archives of the Planet" provided an antidote to the ethnocentric biases of the era, presenting cultural documentation that, while mediated through a Western lens, sought to respect and celebrate cultural uniqueness. By exploring these images today, viewers are offered a powerful visual testament to the resilience, beauty, and complexity of early 20th-century societies.
Alsace: a region of cultural convergence
The exhibition opens with a look at Alsace, Kahn’s native region, a culturally rich area that served as a constant source of inspiration for him. Located at the crossroads of French and German influences, Alsace embodies the themes of cultural hybridity and resilience. This section features images of Alsatian rural life, traditional clothing, architecture, and festivals, which resonated deeply with Kahn’s vision of preserving local traditions.
Through these intimate portraits of Alsace, the exhibition highlights how Kahn’s early life in a region shaped by shifting borders influenced his desire to document and celebrate diversity on a global scale. The images provide a striking contrast to the more distant places captured in the "Archives of the Planet" emphasizing Kahn’s belief in the equal value of all human cultures, whether local or global.
The humanist mission of the
Archives of the Planet
The heart of Kahn's project was to document the cultural variety of human life at a time of rapid industrial and colonial expansion. In this section, visitors are transported to regions across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East, encountering vibrant scenes of both daily life and significant cultural events.
Kahn commissioned photographers such as Auguste Léon and Stéphane Passet to travel worldwide and capture images that portrayed people in their environments, with a focus on authenticity and dignity. The pioneering use of color photography through the autochrome process adds a lifelike quality to the images, allowing viewers to experience a sense of immediacy and presence. These images are not just snapshots of other cultures; they are portraits of humanity, speaking to the timeless importance of cultural preservation and understanding in an increasingly globalized world.
Kahn's embrace of technology
Another key aspect of the exhibition is Kahn’s innovative use of emerging photographic technologies. With the support of the Lumière brothers’ autochrome technique, Kahn’s team could capture color photographs, a revolutionary advancement that provided his archives with a realism rarely seen at the time.
Kahn was also an early adopter of film, commissioning moving images that reveal everything from bustling city streets to remote rural life with unprecedented realism.
The exhibition includes excerpts from these silent films, allowing visitors to experience the dynamism of these distant worlds. The moving images act as windows into a bygone era, capturing traditions that might otherwise have been lost. By presenting these early films, the BNU highlights Kahn’s belief in the importance of preserving cultural diversity through the most advanced media available, reminding us that technology, while often a force for change, can also serve as a powerful tool for memory and preservation.
Cross cultural dialogue
and visual reciprocity
This section explores Kahn’s concept of “visual reciprocity,” the idea that by observing others, we gain insights into ourselves. The exhibition juxtaposes images of Alsace with scenes from other parts of the world, encouraging viewers to consider the universal aspects of human experience, despite cultural differences. By presenting these side-by-side portraits, the exhibition fosters an implicit conversation between cultures, underlining Kahn’s belief that the dignity and beauty of one’s own culture are best appreciated when viewed alongside others.
Through these visual exchanges, the exhibition underscores Kahn’s pioneering philosophy of cross-cultural respect and understanding, providing a silent yet powerful reminder that visual representations have the power to shape perspectives and encourage empathy.
Kahn's legacy
Kahn’s idealistic vision, that visual documentation could foster global peace and understandingfaced considerable challenges during his lifetime. The outbreak of two world wars, alongside his financial losses in the Great Depression, put the limits of this humanistic endeavor to the test.
Nonetheless, the "Archives of the Planet" remain a profound testament to Kahn’s vision. The BNU exhibition prompts viewers to consider the enduring relevance of Kahn's ideals, particularly in an age where global tensions and cultural misunderstandings persist.
By examining the images and films in Kahn’s archives, visitors are encouraged to see cultural diversity not as a threat but as a source of richness. This vision is just as urgent today as it was in Kahn’s time, highlighting the enduring impact of his life’s work.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: BNU
Date: 21.09.2024 – 26.01.2025
Curators: Adrien Genoudet, Jerôme Schweitzer, Benoît Wirrmann, Xavier Truth, Odile Gozillon-Fronsacq and Florian Herry
Ticket: Available at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the BNU
BNU
6 place de la République
67 070 Strasbourg
Phone: +33 (0)3 88 25 28 00