LUMIERE, LOUIS. (1864-1948). French engineer and pioneer in the field of photography and motion pictures whose achievements include the first projected film screening, considered the birth of cinema. SP. (“Louis Lumiere”). 1p. Tall 4to. N.p., N.d. (Circa 1920s?). A sepia studio photograph of a seated Lumiere resting his head on his right hand and looking directly into the camera. Attired in an embroidered jacket, white tie and waistcoat and wearing a medal around his neck. Inscribed in French “To my friend Aschel best regards…” (HENRI GABRIEL ASCHEL (1892-1975), director of the Acoustic Laboratories of the Gaumont Film company beginning in 1926 and film processing patent holder.)
The son of a photographer, Louis, along with his brother Auguste, made a number of important advances in the field of photography. Louis was only 17 when he invented a new dry plate process for developing film. The brothers also patented the use of film perforations to advance film through a camera.
In 1895 they patented their cinématographe, a machine that could record, develop and project motion pictures, demonstrating it to an audience at Paris’ Society for the Development of the National Industry. Among the 10 short films shown, their Workers Leaving The Lumière Factory in Lyon is considered by some to be the first motion picture, though Edison’s invention preceded it. The following year, they toured the world demonstrating their invention, but ultimately concluded that motion pictures had no future and instead focused their efforts on still photography, patenting a color photographic process known as Autochrome Lumière and supplying the European market with photographic supplies for much of the 20th century.
Our rare image is mounted to a brown matte that bears Lumiere’s inscription. Mat is gently creased and in overall very fine condition. Rare; the first Lumiere signed photograph we have ever seen.
