Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney papers, 1851-1975, bulk 1888-1942

This subseries consists of correspondence from and between various members of the Vanderbilt and Whitney families, as well as correspondence received by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney from friends and suitors, concerning primarily family and personal matters and documenting her relationships with family and friends prior to her marriage. Found here is correspondence between Gertrude and Harry Payne Whitney before and during their courtship, as well as letters received by both upon the announcement of their engagement. Also found is correspondence relating to Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr.'s engagement to Grace Wilson, of which the family disapproved.

Correspondence found here is between Whitney and family members and dates from after her marriage until her death in 1942. Correspondents include her husband, mother, sister, children, and various nieces and nephews, primarily in the form of incoming letters, in addition to scattered drafts of outgoing letters in Whitney's hand.

This series consists of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's personal and professional correspondence dating from 1896 to her death in 1942. Correspondence includes mostly incoming letters, in addition to some carbon copies of outgoing correspondence and scattered drafts of outgoing letters in Whitney's hand. Correspondents include friends, lovers, artists, architects, designers, art organizations, museums and galleries, relief and philanthropic organizations, writers, publishers, and others. While family letters are found primarily in Series 2.1. and Series 2.2., this series does include letters of condolence upon the deaths of William C. Whitney (received by Harry Payne Whitney), Harry Payne Whitney (including some received by Flora Whitney Miller), and Alice G. Vanderbilt.

Correspondence concerns personal mattters; Whitney's sponsorship of artists (including Morgan Russell, Edgar McAdams, Laura McLane, and Frederick Roth); Whitney's sculpture commissions and exhibitions of sculpture; exhibitions of other artists' work held in Whitney's studio; art competitions sponsored by Whitney (such as Competition in Architecture, Sculpture and Painting, 1914-1915, and Immigrant in America Poster Contest, 1915); requests for assistance from struggling artists and other needy individuals; requests for work in modeling and casting; Whitney's war relief work, as well as her general philanthropy and art patronage; the purchase of Whitney's sculpture, Head of Spanish Peasant, by the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the publication of Whitney's novel Walking the Dusk as well as her other writing efforts; plans for the New York World's Fair; and awards and honorary degrees received by Whitney.

Beginning in the early 1910s, material consists of more and more routine business correspondence which was received and created by several different secretaries on Whitney's behalf. Also found is a list of incoming correspondence received from 1915 to 1918, which was kept by Irene Givenwilson, one of Whitney's secretaries.

Chronologically arranged folders marked "Miscellaneous/Unknown Correspondents" found toward the end of the series, contain a combination of letters on which the signature is absent or illegible, and hand-written notes and drafts in Whitney's hand to unidentified recipients.

This subseries consists of correspondence received by Flora Whitney Miller and the Whitney Museum of American Art after the death of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Included are letters of condolence, and correspondence relating to the Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Estate, a memorial exhibition held at the Whitney Museum of American Art, gifts in memory of Whitney, and an exhibition of Whitney sculpture at the Wilmington Society of Fine Arts in 1959.