The 18th-century dolls that paved the way for modern computing

Technology · Published 1 November 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before silicon chips and binary code, there were clockwork dolls capable of drawing portraits, playing organs, and writing custom text. Built in the 1760s as luxury toys for European nobility, these masterpieces of mechanical engineering represent some of the earliest ancestors of our modern computers.

The writer, the draughtsman, and the musician are three specific automata from 1768 to 1774 that still work today, having been made by Jean-Frédéric Leschot, Henri-Louis, and Pierre Jaquet-Droz. While they served as high-end entertainment to bolster watch sales among the aristocracy, their internal complexity was revolutionary. They were not merely moving puppets; they were sophisticated machines designed to replicate human behavior with startling fidelity.

The draughtsman provides a masterclass in mechanical coding. It uses a system of cams to program two-dimensional hand movements, plus a third dimension to lift the pencil. This allowed it to produce four distinct images, including a portrait of Louis XV and a scene of Cupid. Similarly, the writer—standing 70 cm tall—uses a wheel to select characters one by one. It can write any custom text up to 40 letters long, complete with realistic nuances like shaking its wrist to prevent ink from spilling and moving its head to dip its goose feather into an inkwell.

The musician is equally impressive because it does not rely on a music box. By using her fingers to strike keys, the doll performs on a bespoke, authentic musical device. Her movements are synchronized to simulate biological life: her chest moves as if breathing, and her eyes follow her hands. These machines were so valuable that they were nearly lost over centuries before being purchased in 1906 for 75,000 gold francs. They stand today as a testament to the era's transition from simple mechanics to complex programmed logic.

The complexity of these works is further evidenced by a fourth, now-lost automaton known as 'the Cave.' This was a massive diorama featuring a palace carved into rock and various figurines. While the three surviving dolls represent individual tasks, 'the Cave' showcased a broader ambition for immersive mechanical environments.

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