Auguste Lumiere

French inventor

Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumierewas a French engineer, industrialist, biologist, and illusionist. In 1894 and 1895, he and his brother Louis invented an animated photographic camera and projection device, the cinematograph, which met with worldwide success.

About the Auguste Lumiere

Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumierewas a French engineer, industrialist, biologist, and illusionist. In 1894 and 1895, he and his brother Louis invented an animated photographic camera and projection device, the cinematograph, which met with worldwide success.

Lumiere was born in Besancon. He attended the Martiniere Technical School and worked as a manager at the photographic company of his father, Claude-Antoine Lumiere. He was invited to attend a demonstration of the Kinetoscope invented by Thomas Edison, which inspired his and his brother’s work on the cinematograph. The brothers screened their first film using this device in December 1895, and following the success of this initial venture opened a number of cinemas worldwide. However, Auguste was skeptical of the potential of the device, remarking “My invention can be exploited… as a scientific curiosity, but apart from that it has no commercial value whatsoever”.

After his work on the cinematograph Lumiere began focusing on the biomedical field, becoming a pioneer in the use of X-rays to examine fractures. He also contributed to innovations in military aircraft, producing a catalytic heater to allow cold-weather engine starts. He died in Lyon, aged 91.