The CulTure of Diagram T h e C u l T u r e o f D i a g r a m JohN BeNDer Stanford university Press T h e C u l T u r e o f D i a g r a m miChael marriN aN Stanford, California Stanford University Press Stanford, California ©2010 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. This book has been published with assistance from the Halperin Fund of the Department of Art & Art History, the Department of English, and the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Stanford University Press. Printed in the United States of America on acid-free, archival-quality paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bender, John B. The culture of diagram / John Bender and Michael Marrinan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8047-4504-8 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8047-4505-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Visualization. 2. Visual perception. 3. Art and science. 4. Art, Modern—History. 5. Scientific literature—History. 6. Encyclopédie—Criticism and interpretation. 7. Diderot, Denis, 1713-1784. I. Marrinan, Michael. II. Title. BF367.B46 2010 121'.35—dc22 2009021940 Designed by Bruce Lundquist Typeset at Stanford University Press in 11/16 Sabon with Optima display CoNTeNTS illustrations vii acknowledgments xv 1 SCeN ario 1 2 Diagram 19 3 DeSCriPTioNS 53 4 ViSualiZa TioNS 92 5 NumBerS 152 6 CroSSiNgS 198 Notes 213 Bibliography 237 index 249 illuSTra TioNS PlaTeS 1 “Surgical virtual environment showing virtual surgical instruments, 3-D guidance information, surgeon’s tremor power spectrum and patient’s vital signs.” From Computers in Biology and Medicine, vol. 25 (1995). 2 “Stress contours calculated on an incised human cornea during a radial keratotomy simulation.” From Computers in Biology and Medicine, vol. 25 (1995). 3 François Desportes, Silver Tureen with Peaches, n.d. Stockholm, Nationalmuseum. 4 Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, The Copper Fountain, n.d. Paris, Musée du Louvre. 5 Jacob van Ruisdael, Landscape near Muiderberg, ca. 1652. Oxford, Ashmolean Museum. illuSTra TioNS viii 6 Jacques-Louis David, Belisarius Begging for Alms, 1781. Lille, Musée des Beaux-Arts. 7 Jacques-Louis David with François-Xavier Fabre or Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson, Replica of Belisarius Begging for Alms, 1784. Paris, Musée du Louvre. 8 Jacques-Louis David, The Oath of the Horatii, 1784. Paris, Musée du Louvre. figureS 1 “Surgical virtual environment showing virtual surgical instruments, 3-D guidance information, surgeon’s tremor power spectrum and patient’s vital signs.” From Computers in Biology and Medicine, vol. 25 (1995). 2 / plate 1 2 “Stress contours calculated on an incised human cornea during a radial keratotomy simulation.” From Computers in Biology and Medicine, vol. 25 (1995). 3 / plate 2 3 “Chirurgie,” pl. XXIV. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 3. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 4 4 “Anatomie,” pl. IX. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 15 5 François Desportes, Silver Tureen with Peaches, n.d. Stockholm, Nationalmuseum. 20 / plate 3 6 “Patissier, Tour à Pâte, Bassines, Mortier, &c,” pl. I. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 8. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 22 7 Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, The Copper Fountain, n.d. Paris, Musée du Louvre. 24 / plate 4 illuSTra TioNS ix 8 “Anatomie,” pl. Seconde IV. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 30 9 “Dessein, Jambes et Pieds,” pl. XIII. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 3. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 31 10 “Dessein, Mains,” pl. XII. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 3. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 32 11 “Agriculture, Labourage,” pl. I. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 36 12 Jacob van Ruisdael, Landscape near Muiderberg, ca. 1652. Oxford, Ashmolean Museum. 37 / plate 5 13 “Agriculture, Labourage,” pl. II. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 39 14 “Agriculture, Labourage,” pl. III. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 40 15 “Agriculture, Labourage,” pl. IV. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol 1. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 41 16 “Chasse, Venerie, Quête du Cerf,” pl. I. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 3. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 43 17 “Chasse, Venerie, la Chasse par Force,” pl. II. From Diderot and d’Alembert, Recueil des Planches, vol. 3. Department of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries. 44