Paul Émile Chappuis (1816-1887) was a photographer, an inventor and manufacturer of

daylight Daylight is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and (often) both of these reflected by Earth and terrestrial objects, like landforms and buildings. Sunligh ...

reflector Reflector may refer to: Science * Reflector, a device that causes reflection (for example, a mirror or a retroreflector) * Reflector (photography), used to control lighting contrast * Reflecting telescope * Reflector (antenna), the part of an ant ...

s . Born in Paris 1816, Chappuis moved to London where he ran a photographic studio at 69

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was na ...

between 1859 and 1871. He also patented different types of light

, that would allow natural light into buildings that would otherwise require

gaslights Gaslighting is a colloquialism, loosely defined as manipulating someone so as to make them question their own reality. The term derives from the title of the 1944 American film ''Gaslight'', which was based on the 1938 British theatre play ''Ga ...

during daytime. He set up a company to manufacture reflectors in 1856 on the basis of his 1853 and 1855 patents for different types of reflector: myriastratic or diamond-shaped, silver fluted glass, argento-crystal, and luminarium reflector. He was declared bankrupt in 1859, and briefly imprisoned for debt. However his business recovered, and was reformed as a limited company in 1868. He died at

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

on 20 May 1887 and was buried at

West Norwood Cemetery West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery. One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of L ...

. Chappuis' firm continued manufacturing reflectors in London until the factory was destroyed by bombing in 1943.

External links

Chappuis' biography at Museum of London

Science & Society Picture Library
Advertisement for Chappuis’ patent reflectors, c 1851-1870. {{DEFAULTSORT:Chappuis, Paul Emile 1816 births 1887 deaths Burials at West Norwood Cemetery French photographers People imprisoned for debt

See also

External links