Flora Payne Whitney, also known as Flora Whitney Miller, was an American socialite, art collector, and patron of the arts
Background
Whitney was born and raised in New York, New New York Her father was Harry Payne Whitney, a sportsman and heir to the Whitney family fortune, and her mother was Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, heiress to a substantial part of the Vanderbilt family fortune.
Education
She attended Brearley School in New York and Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, where she met and became close lifelong friends with the artist Kay Sage.
Career
Whitney made her debut on August 4, 1916, at "The Reefs," the Payne-Whitney "cottage" in Newport, Rhode Island. She was escorted by Quentin Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, although her father did not approve of young Roosevelt. After the United States entered World War I, Quentin enlisted in the United States. Army Air Service, and became engaged to Whitney before leaving for duty overseas.
The glamorous young couple never married, since Quentin was killed in aerial combat in July, 1918.
Love letters exchanged between Flora and Quentin while he was at the front were featured in Edward Renehan"s book about TR"s sons, The Lion"s Pride (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998). Whitney worked closely with her mother, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in the founding and endowing of the Whitney Museum of Art in New New York
After her mother"s death, Whitney served as President of the Museum from 1941 until 1966, and as Chairman from 1966 through 1974.