Vice and virtue in the world of graphics

The objective of this paper is to evoke some aspects of the use of graphics in the statistical approach. The first part will be dedicated to a brief history of graphics and to the main discoveries or realisations that, in a direct or indirect way, influenced its usage. Obviously, the aspects linked with the traditional scientific fields (physics, chemistry, astronomy,...) but also with those who deal with art or architecture. The good and bad usage of graphical representation will be evoked through varied examples that can be found in statisticians’ books or scientific journals.