Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumière was born on October 19, 1862, and died on April 10, 1954. He was a French engineer, industrialist, biologist, and illusionist. In 1894 and 1895, he and his brother Louis created a machine that takes moving pictures and projects them on a screen, called the cinematograph. This invention became very popular around the world.

Life

Lumière was born in Besançon. He studied at the Martinière Technical School and later worked as a manager at his father’s photographic company, which was owned by Claude-Antoine Lumière. He was invited to see a demonstration of the Kinetoscope, an invention by Thomas Edison, which inspired him and his brother to develop the cinematograph. The brothers showed their first film using this device in December 1895. After this success, they opened many cinemas around the world. However, Auguste, one of the brothers, doubted the device’s usefulness, saying, "My invention can be used as a scientific curiosity, but it has no commercial value at all."

Later in his career, Lumière focused on medical research, becoming an early pioneer in using X-rays to study broken bones. He also helped improve military aircraft by creating a catalytic heater that allowed engines to start in cold weather. Lumière died in Lyon at the age of 91.