Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799) was a multifaceted figure of 18th-century France, with a career spanning watchmaking, music, diplomacy, and notably, theater. As a playwright, he is immortalized by his satirical comedies "Le Barbier de Séville" (The Barber of Seville, 1775) and "Le Mariage de Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro, 1784), which criticized aristocratic society and social injustices, anticipating the spirit of the French Revolution. Beaumarchais also had an adventurous life as a spy and double agent for King Louis XV, participating in diplomatic and commercial missions. He passed away in Paris.