13 Facts About Louis Daguerre

Louis Daguerre became known as one of the fathers of photography.

Louis Daguerre was apprenticed in architecture, theatre design, and panoramic painting to Pierre Prevost, the first French panorama painter.

In 1829, Louis Daguerre partnered with Nicephore Niepce, an inventor who had produced the world's first heliograph in 1822 and the oldest surviving camera photograph in 1826 or 1827.

Niepce died suddenly in 1833, but Louis Daguerre continued experimenting, and evolved the process which would subsequently be known as the daguerreotype.

Under assurances of strict confidentiality, Louis Daguerre explained and demonstrated the process only to the Academy's perpetual secretary Francois Arago, who proved to be an invaluable advocate.

Louis Daguerre's name is one of the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel tower.

Niepce and Louis Daguerre later refined this process, but unacceptably long exposures were still needed.

Louis Daguerre had expertise in lighting and scenic effects, and Bouton was the more experienced painter.

However, Bouton eventually withdrew, and Louis Daguerre acquired sole responsibility of the diorama theatre.

Louis Daguerre hoped to create a realistic illusion for an audience, and wanted audiences to be not only entertained, but awe-stricken.

Louis Daguerre was aware of both of these aspects of Roslin Chapel, and this made it a perfect subject for his diorama painting.

Louis Daguerre urged the firefighters to stop the blaze on the fifth floor, where all his daguerreotype specimens, notes, and equipment were kept.

Louis Daguerre was more interested in the development of daguerreotypes, and later in August 1839, his daguerreotype specimens were debuted.