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SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD
WASHINGTON

 January 16, 1940

Mr. Edward Bruce
Commission of Fine Arts
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Bruce:

Some days ago you were good enough to send over several pictures for our use if we so desired. The one of the Fulton Fish Market looked particularly good to me and I have selected it for my own office. I want to thank you for making it available.

Incidentally, the reason I like this picture is because it has the desirable features which appealed to me in the sketches submitted for the murals, without the undesirable ones. The combinations of color seem to be particularly good, and the general outlines likewise. What I did not like about the mural sketches were the deformed human beings represented. I don't insist that every human being should be represented as an Apollo, but it does seem to me that we can convey the same ideas without deliberately distorting the figure of men and presenting them in such grotesque fashion as some were in those sketches.

The picture of the Fulton Fish Market, it seems to me, is a much more effective presentation of mankind than is the other. I trust that when the detail of the murals is worked out, whoever supervises it will see that the defects of the sketches in this respect are removed.

Very sincerely yours,

(signed) George E. Bigge