Jacques de Vaucanson

Jacques de Vaucanson was born in Grenoble, France, on 24 February 1709, the son of a glove-maker. He symbolized the modern engineer and true spirit of the century of Lights. At the same time, he was attracted to physics and the life sciences.

After studying at the Jesuit school in Grenoble , he took orders and joined "Les Ordre des Minimes" in Lyon, to which belonged the Father Mersenne (1588-1648), man of science and good friend of Descartes.

Early in 1738, in response to the eighteenth-century craze for animated objects, Vaucanson presented his first complete automaton "The Flute Player" at the Academie des Sciences. A year later he produced "The Tambourine Player" and "The Duck."

Jacques de Vaucanson
(Doc. Alfred Chapuis)

In the course of devising these complicated automata, Vaucanson would invent several devices which subsequently achieved technological importance. One was the first flexible tube of India rubber (caoutchouc), which was to have a variety of applications in many fields and which Vaucanson devised for the purpose of simulating the intestines in the " moving anatomy " of his "duck". In spite of the considerable success of his three automata, Vaucanson tired of them quickly and sold them in 1743.

In 1741 Vaucanson was appointed inspector of silk manufacturing. He set about reorganizing the entire industry in France from top to bottom; it was in considerable difficulty at the time due to foreign competition, especially in England and Scotland.

Vaucanson introduced far-reaching changes in working methods, in all areas from production to delivery. He improved on existing machines and started using punch cards to automate weaving.

At the time, these changes were not well received and due to the hostility of weavers they were largely ignored. The techniques Vaucanson invented were subsequently perfected by Jacquard the father of modern looms and a remote ancestor of today's computer revolution.

What became the famous automata of Vaucanson? During many years, several authors occupied themselves with this question, but without success. Now we know that the De Vaucanson's three automata met different fates.The flute and tambourine playing shepherd was destroyed in the revolution, while the others were bought by a German collector.

Towards the end of his life Vaucanson became a member of the Academie des Sciences. He made a collection of his own and other's masterpieces and presented it to Louis XV. This was to make up much of the foundation of the Academie Nationale des arts et Metiers (Paris). He died in Paris in 1782.