The Lumière Cinématographe and the Grand Café Projection of 1895: A Reexamination

H. Mark Gosser

At the Grand Café in Paris on December 28, 1895, the Lumière Cinématographe was used for the first truly acceptable projection of film before a paying audience. This product by brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière was capable of being used as a camera and a printer as well as a projector. As we celebrate 100 years of cinema projection, this paper will examine the details of construction, the final physical structure, and the operation of this device, with particular emphasis on the details and qualities that helped the Lumières succeed a century ago.

Print ISSN
Published
1996-10
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J17195