Louis Jean Lumière (French: [lwi ʒɑ̃ lymjɛʁ]; October 5, 1864 – June 6, 1948) was a French engineer and business leader who helped create photography and movies.

Early life and education

Lumière was one of four children of Claude-Antoine Lumière, a photographer and artist, and his wife, Jeanne-Joséphine (née Costille). While attending the Martinière Technical School, he earned the best grades in his class.

Career

At the age of 17, Louis Lumière created a new method for developing film using a dry plate. This method was very successful for his family's business, allowing them to open a new factory that eventually produced 15 million plates each year. Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope inspired Louis and his brother's later work on the cinematograph.

Louis Lumière is often linked with his brother, Auguste Lumière, under the name "the Lumière brothers." However, this comparison is not fair when discussing the invention of the cinematograph. In reality, Auguste did not succeed in making the first machine and gave it to his brother, who completed the invention. Meanwhile, Louis was in charge of creating the first animated films for the Lumière Society, such as Le Repas de bébé, La Pêche aux poissons rouges, and Démolition d'un mur. Auguste sometimes appeared in these films as an amateur actor. A contract signed by the brothers stated that they would always work together, both in spirit and financially, on all their projects and discoveries.