Students from the MLF French School Glimpsed 19th-Century Turkmenistan Through the Photographs of Paul Nadar
Cultural ties between France and Turkmenistan often emerge from the most unexpected and beautiful elements—whether it be an elegant language, a shared history, or a vintage photograph. Recently, students and teachers from the MLF-Bouygues French School visited a unique exhibition organized by the French Institute in Turkmenistan at the Nadar Gallery.
The exhibition, bearing the simple yet evocative title "Journey to the Land of the Turkmens," opened a door for these young explorers into a world that can no longer be found on modern maps.
The central figure behind this visual chronicle was the renowned French photographer Paul Nadar. In the late 19th century—specifically, in the autumn of 1890—he boarded the famous Orient Express in Paris and embarked on a major expedition commissioned by the French authorities to document the construction of the strategic Trans-Caspian Railway.
Nadar traveled across the vast expanses of ancient Turkmenistan with the heavy, temperamental photographic equipment of the era. Unlike modern compact digital cameras, he used a bulky wooden camera that relied on glass plates coated with a light-sensitive emulsion. Each shot demanded immense patience: the camera had to be mounted on a massive tripod, and the photographer had to drape himself in a thick black cloth to focus the image on the ground-glass screen. Due to the long exposure times, his subjects had to remain perfectly still for several seconds—making every surviving image a genuine technical feat.
Nadar did not undertake this challenging and grueling journey alone. He was assisted by local guides and technical helpers who carefully transported fragile glass negatives in special wooden crates across the sands of the Karakum Desert via horse-drawn wagons. During his time on the Turkmen land, the photographer managed to capture numerous unique images, documenting views of Ashgabat, Chardzhou, and ancient Merv. Nadar succeeded in capturing a fleeting reality—one that was vibrant, warm, and authentic, far removed from mere staged scenes.
Exhibition visitors were able to examine in minute detail the intricacies of traditional costumes, the details of daily life, and the unique cultural nuances of a bygone era. Today, these archival images and the fragile original glass plate negatives are housed thousands of kilometers away from Ashgabat—in the French Ministry of Culture’s state photo archive in Paris. The exhibits viewed by the students in the gallery are high-precision modern prints made from these European originals.
Yet, the most remarkable aspect of these images is the people. Peers and adults who lived over a century ago gazed out at today’s schoolchildren from these vintage archival photographs. The photographer captured entire families—residents of both cities and villages. Their expressions, poses, and smiles radiate such striking dignity that the boundary between past and present instantly dissolves.
For the students from the MLF school, this exhibition was far from a dull textbook lesson; instead, it offered a vivid, tangible encounter with the history of their host country.
Bakhar Garryeva served as their guide into this fascinating past. She led the tour with such enthusiasm and liveliness that the teenagers bombarded her with questions. Bakhar shared remarkable details about how the images were created, the secrets held within the vintage negatives, and how Nadar managed to establish a rapport with his subjects. The students listened with bated breath, noting every detail and attempting to unravel the mysteries of these century-old photographs.
The event was special not only for its content but also for its stature. Ms. Alena Grand, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Turkmenistan, toured the gallery alongside the students. Her presence transformed a routine school outing into a significant cultural event, underscoring the high value France places on such moments of genuine, lively dialogue between the younger generation and Turkmenistan’s rich heritage.
When their eyes grew a bit weary of the black-and-white aesthetic and emotions began to run high, it was time for a change of scenery. The lively group moved to the cozy and welcoming "Madame Guitar" café. There, a pleasant surprise awaited the tired yet happy young explorers: aromatic treats and... a fresh round of intellectual adventures. Bakhar Garryeva decided to test just how attentive her audience had been, organizing a fun quiz featuring tricky questions based on the exhibition they had just seen.
The café filled with laughter, spirited debates, and recollections of details from Turkmen costumes or the everyday minutiae captured in Nadar’s photographs. Through this relaxed, playful approach, the young people did more than just reinforce what they had seen—they truly absorbed the spirit of history. They learned a wealth of new facts about Turkmenistan’s past, combining serious historical exploration with a wonderful time spent among friends.
This day will certainly not fade from memory; it will stand out as one of the highlights of their school years. The students will cherish the warmest, most vivid, and joyful memories of this encounter with history brought to life. To ensure these emotions could be carried into the future, the visit concluded beautifully with a group photo. Now, that picture—taken against the backdrop of a poster for the Paul Nadar photography exhibition—has itself become part of history: a story of friendship, curiosity, and cultural discovery.
Ayna Shirova
How Paul Nadar’s travel photos from the Karakum Desert inspired Jules Verne
