Semiology of Graphics: Diagrams, Networks, Maps

Review of the book 'Semiology of Graphics: Diagrams, Networks, Maps' by Jacques Bertin (Redlands: Esri Press, 2010). 460pp. New edition of a book by the cartographer Jacques Bertin, originally published in French in 1967, whose professional interest was in the study and design of maps and diagrams. The design of information graphics was his central concern within cartography, and this book was a response to problems he observed in his discipline at the time, and Bertin embarked on the development of a theory of graphics based on the analytical tradition of semiotics. Except for a new preface by Howard Wainer and an additional 20 pages by Bertin, the new 2010 edition is the same as the original English edition. In Part One, Bertin outlines his theoretical framework across three chapters. Following these, the new edition includes two brief sections: an epilogue in which Bertin guides his reader through his experiences with graphic representation, and a further section in which Bertin presents his revised theory of graphical signs. The review notes that Bertin is clearly influenced by structuralist semiotics, yet deliberately decides to focus solely on monosemic signs. The review concludes that to this day, the book remains one of the most significant contributions to the study of graphical language from within the broad discipline of information design. (Quotes from original text)