François Lays
François Lay, better known under the stage name Lays (14 February 1758 – 30 March 1831), was a French baritone and tenor opera singer. Originally destined for a career in the church, Lays was recruited by the Paris Opéra in 1779. He soon became a leading member of the company, in spite of quarrels with the management. Lays enthusiastically welcomed the French Revolution and became involved in politics with the encouragement of his friend Bertrand Barère. Barère's downfall led to Lays being imprisoned briefly, but he soon won back the public and secured the patronage of Napoleon, at whose coronation and second wedding he sang. This association with the Emperor caused him trouble when the Bourbon monarchy was restored and Lays's final years were darkened by disputes over his pension, mounting debts, the death of his only son and his wife's illness. After a career spanning more than four decades, he died in poverty.
François Louis Thomas Francia
Francia was born at Calais on 21 December 1772, and was taken early in life to London by his father, a refugee. 
He was for some time employed as an assistant of a drawing-master named Barrow, who was the master of John Varley. He showed a total of 85 works at the Royal Academy between 1795 and 1821 (inclusive).
He was one of the sketching society formed by Thomas Girtin about 1799, and there is drawing of a moonlit landscape in the Victoria and Albert Museum dated in May of that year.