Jacques Bertin (27 July 1918 – 3 May 2010) was a French
cartographer
Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an ...
and theorist, known from his book ''Semiologie Graphique'' (''Semiology of Graphics''), published in 1967. This monumental work, based on his experience as a cartographer and geographer, represents the first and widest intent to provide a theoretical foundation to
Information Visualization
Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random, a ...
,Juan C. Dürsteler (2000-08) Interview with Jacques Bertin Retrieved 23 June 2008. with his most lasting contribution being his set of visual variables that can be used to construct map symbols and other graphical techniques one of then being the
Bertin Projection, an innovative
map projection
In cartography, map projection is the term used to describe a broad set of transformations employed to represent the two-dimensional curved surface of a globe on a plane. In a map projection, coordinates, often expressed as latitude and l ...
type.
Biography
Jacques Bertin was born in 1918 in
Maisons-Laffitte
Maisons-Laffitte () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the northern Île-de-France region of France. It is a part of the affluent outer suburbs of northwestern Paris, from its centre. In 2018, it had a population of 23,611.
Maisons-Laf ...
,
Yvelines
Yvelines () is a Departments of France, department in the western part of the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207. Finally he ended up studying
geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...
and
cartography
Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an i ...
at the Sorbonne.
He became founder and director of the Cartographic Laboratory of the
École pratique des hautes études
The École pratique des hautes études (), abbreviated EPHE, is a Grand Établissement in Paris, France. It is highly selective, and counted among France's most prestigious research and higher education institutions. It is a constituent college o ...
(EPHE) in 1954 and director of studies (directeur d'études) in 1957. In 1967 he became professor of the Sorbonne, and in 1974 he became director of studies and director of the Geographical Laboratory of the
École des hautes études en sciences sociales
The School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (french: École des hautes études en sciences sociales; EHESS) is a graduate ''grande école'' and '' grand établissement'' in Paris focused on academic research in the social sciences. The ...
(EHESS), which is part of the École pratique des hautes études (EPHE, VIe Section). Later in the 1970s he became head of research at the
Centre national de la recherche scientifique
The French National Centre for Scientific Research (french: link=no, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS) is the French state research organisation and is the largest fundamental science agency in Europe.
In 2016, it employed 31,63 ...
Carl Mannerfelt Gold Medal
The International Cartographic Association (ICA) (french: Association Cartographique Internationale, ''ACI''), is an organization formed of national member organizations, to provide a forum for issues and techniques in cartography and geographic ...
from the
International Cartographic Association
The International Cartographic Association (ICA) (french: Association Cartographique Internationale, ''ACI''), is an organization formed of national member organizations, to provide a forum for issues and techniques in cartography and geographic ...
.
Bertin died in Paris on 3 May 2010.
Publications
Jacques Bertin has published numerous scientific maps, papers and articles on map making, semiology, graphical information and graphic processing.
* 1967. ''Sémiologie Graphique. Les diagrammes, les réseaux, les cartes''. With Marc Barbut
t al.
T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is der ...
Paris : Gauthier-Villars. (Translation 1983. ''Semiology of Graphics'' by William J. Berg.)
* 1969. ''Etude et réalisation d'un dispositif de goniométrie et d'observation de formes d'onde, en large bande.''
* 1976. ''Experimental and Theoretical Aspects of Induced Polarization''. 2 vol. With J. Loes. Berlin : Gebruder. Borntraeger.
* 1977. ''Graphique et le traitement graphique de l'information''. With Serge Bonin
t al.
T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is der ...
* 1977. ''La graphique et le traitement graphique de l'information''. Paris : Flammarion, 1977, 273 p. (translation 1981. ''Graphics and graphic information-processing'' by William J. Berg and Paul Scott).
* 1992. ''Harper atlas of world history''. with Pierre Vidal-Naquet. N.Y. : Harper Collins.
* 1997. ''Atlas historique universel. Panorama de l'histoire du monde''. With J. Devisse, D. Lavallée and J. Népote. Genève : Éd. Minerve, 180 p.
* 2006. ''Nuovo atlante storico Zanichelli / sotto la direzione di Pierre Vidal-Naquet ; direzione della cartografia''.