Jacques de Vaucanson (February 24, 1709 – November 21, 1782) was a French inventor and artist who was responsible for the creation of impressive and innovative automata and machines such as the first completely automated loom.

He was born in Grenoble, France in 1709 as Jacques Vaucanson (the particle "de" was later added to his name by the Académie des Sciences). The tenth child, son of a glove-maker, he grew up poor, and in his youth he reportedly aspired to become a clockmaker . He studied under the Jesuits and later joined the Order of the Minims in Lyon. It was his intention at the time to follow a course of religious studies, but he regained his interest in mechanical devices after meeting the surgeon Le Cat, from whom he would learn the details of anatomy. This new knowledge allowed him to develop his first mechanical devices that mimicked biological vital functions such as circulation, respiration, and digestion .

At just 18 years of age, Vaucanson was given his own workshop in Lyon, and a grant from a nobleman to construct a set of machines. In that same year of 1727, there was a visit from one of the governing heads of Les Minimes. Vaucanson decided to make some androids. The automatons would serve dinner and clear the tables for the visiting politicians. However one government official declared that he thought Vaucanson's tendencies "profane", and ordered that his workshop be destroyed.

Jacques Duphly (January 12, 1715 – July 15, 1789) was a French harpsichordist and organist, and the composer of bright, lively, and attractive keyboard music.

He was born in Rouen, France, the son of Jacques-Agathe Duphly and Marie-Louise Boivin. As a boy, he studied the harpsichord and organ, and was employed as organist at the cathedral in Évreux.

His teacher was François d'Agincourt.

On 11 September 1734 'le sieur Dufliq, organist of the cathedral of Évreux' applied for a position at the church at St. Eloi; the register goes on to make clear that he had been trained by Dagincourt at Rouen, went to Évreux (c. 1732) for what must have been his first appointment (he was only 19 when he resigned from it) and returned to his native parish. His tenure at St Eloi began inauspiciously since the old man he was replacing did not take kindly to this personnel decision, and locked the organ loft before he left and threw away the key, but the church quickly changed the locks. To St Eloi he added Notre Dame de la Ronde in 1740, his sister Marie-Anne-Agathe sometimes substituting for him when duties conflicted. He left both appointments in 1742 and moved to Paris. According to the clerk of St Eloi, it was affairs that drew him there, but other reports suggest that it was the realization that he would do better as a specialist of the harpsichord in Paris than as an organist in Rouen. Therefore in 1742 he settled in Paris, making his name as a harpsichordist, teacher and composer. He was praised for his light touch and a great ability to bring out the character of the pieces. In 1742, after the death of his father, Duphly moved to Paris, where he became famous as a performer and teacher. He was considered by Pascal Taskin, the harpsichord maker, to be one of the best teachers in Paris.