Letter
Dear Mr. Peterson:
In its meeting of 16 February, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed alternative designs for a Congressional Gold Medal honoring Dr. Muhammad Yunus. In discussing the range of alternatives, the Commission members commented on the generally unsatisfactory quality of the drawings, including the obverse portraits of Dr. Yunus and the reverse images of human and animal figures.
For the obverse, the Commission members recommended alternative #8, commenting that this portrait is less problematic than the others; they suggested that the inclusion of a background pattern would be appropriate for the relatively large scale of this medal. They recommended reverse alternative #6 due to its abstract design which avoids the problematic depiction of what may be misinterpreted as Caucasian women in a South Asian setting; they suggested reducing the size of the lotus blossom and globe to relieve the sense of crowding at the top of the composition. They also questioned the anatomical rendering of figures–particularly the human arms and bird claws depicted in the reverse alternatives–which is an artistic concern that has arisen with previous submissions.
As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Richard A. Peterson, Deputy Director
United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220
cc: Ron Harrigal, U.S. Mint