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January 23, 1950



Dear Mr. Taylor:

Our Committee has been studying the terms of your great contemporary exhibition next December, and they have asked me to make a suggestion for your consideration.

A great deal of controversy is always stirred up by the selection of first, second, and third prize paintings, whereas the fact is that there is hardly ever one painting so outstanding that it has that commanding a lead over other paintings in the show. We have been wondering, therefore, if it would be possible to divide the prize money evenly at $1,000 apiece to the top eight [[strikethrough]] or ten [[/strikethrough]] paintings in the show.

We feel that such an announcement by the Metropolitan as a pioneering effort to obviate some of the evils of the jury system would attract a great deal of response and would be more in accord with the fact [[strikethrough]] that undoubtedly tha [[/strikethrough]] that there will undoubtedly be a number of fine works, any one of which could be given first prize. Such a democratic ay of giving out medals of merit seems to appeal very strongly to all the artists who have been asked about the matter.

With kindest personal regards,


Sincerely yours,



Yasuo Kuniyoshi
President