The director of the Carnavalet Museum, which maps Parisian history, said that for some visitors, “Roman numerals can be an obstacle to understanding the exhibition.” “It will be beneficial for disabled people, both mentally and physically. It will also help those who want to simplify the information a bit, “said Noémie Giardová.
At the same time, the museum’s move divides the lay and professional public. The curators of the Italian museums spoke out loud. According to commentator Massimo Gramellini, who has a column in the prestigious daily Corriere della Sera, the abolition of Roman numerals is “the sum of an ongoing cultural catastrophe.”
According to him, Roman numerals are not taught in schools, and therefore there is now room for their abolition. “In the time of Louis XVI or 16, the director of the museum would be beheaded. We will keep her head on condition that she uses it, “said Italian journalist and historian Massimo Gramellini.
“Be careful at school and learn”
François Martin, chairman of the Association of French Teachers of Ancient Languages, agrees with the criticism of the Italian press last week. “It’s a typical example of a dispute over whether it used to be a hen or an egg. But the less Roman numerals are used, the less people will know them, “he said.
Reflections on the abolition of Roman numerals also come from the Louvre in Paris. Especially visitors from abroad are said to be unable to decipher them. “It simply came to our notice then. I think the real solution would be to say: be careful at school and learn, “said Philippe Plagnieux, a professor of art history.
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According to art historian and former director of the Prague National Gallery, Jiří Fajt, knowledge of Roman numerals should be part of the general education that needs to be taken care of. “Museums in the 21st century have a mission to educate individuals and society. Only in the second place comes the fun and we should be careful not to confuse education with it, “he said.
He added that there is a risk of content distortion with any simplification. According to Fajt, the information must be comprehensible, clear and factually correct. “It is not wrong that museums try to attract the general public to their premises, but I think that non-urgency and factual accuracy is important,” he said.
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