the background arm of the heavier one. He was also skilled in the use of natural light and outfitted his studio with screens and reflectors to maximize the effect of sunlight. Later life In the 1890s, Aimé Dupont began suffering from stomach cancer. Just prior to a sitting with Emma Eames, he fell ill and was unable to work. Despite never having done photography work before, Etta Dupont stepped in and successfully kept the appointment. From then on, she would be responsible for posing the subjects. Dupont died of his condition on 16 February 1900. Afterwards, Etta became the photographer for the business (and in later years, their son Albert also took his turn behind the camera), keeping the name Aimé Dupont Studio. For many years, a number of the photographic subjects were under the belief that she was Aimé Dupont. Her endeavors proved to be successful enough for her to open another studio in Newport, Rhode Island, photographing socialites when she closed the New York studio for the summers. However, in 1906 the Metropolitan Opera, the studio's primary client, hired its own photographer, and without the artistic direction of Dupont, the business began to suffer. Finally, in 1920, Etta had to declare bankruptcy. She sold the business to an investor, and the name Aimé Dupont Studio continued as a portrait studio until the 1950s. Gallery References External links 1841 births 1900 deaths Photographers from Brussels Photographers from New York City Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Deaths from stomach cancer