Thanks for that long excerpt from Twain. I have to say that
          it *sounds* as if Twains ironic tone is carried through on
          the wall-panel, though I don't know what the panel refers
          to (haven't had a chance to get to the Battery yet).
 
          If the panel is meant as a description of white people's
          treacly romanticisation (is that an ugly neologism --
          romantification...romanticizing!) of the Indians, then it is
          true to the original's intent, I think.
 
          If it is intended to be a description of the beauty of
          Indian crafts, then not only is it a distortion, but it is
          poorly chosen. I mean, who can read the word "dainty"
          without thinking that there is some ironic intent.
 
          Anyway, I think that your blanket condemnation of the
          accuracy of museum texts, and your implicit tone that they
          have all descended into mediocre PC-ness, deserves
          challenging. I personally think that the attempt at being
          inclusive in both medium and content is worth pursuing, and
          that the intellectual level of museum exhibits and
          interpretation is worlds above the blockbuster-era and
          earlier extravaganzas. But then again, I'm here in NYC,
          which may be different than Washington (howzabout that for
          a gauntlet thrown!).
 
          Anyway, its nice to have such an engaged and partisan
          consumer of museum stuff on this list.
 
          Eric Siegel
          [log in to unmask]