In the early 20th century, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney spurned a life as a privileged socialite to make her mark as a noted sculptor, arts patron, and cultivator of audiences for American artists at her New York City studio in Greenwich Village’s MacDougal Alley..

Today the studio is owned by The New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. Recently designated a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, work is underway to restore the studio to its original appearance and to share the many stories held within the walls of this National Historic Landmark.

Whitney’s story is all the more compelling because she succeeded at a time when her actions were shocking to an early 20th century world that had firm ideas about a woman’s place.