The former Payne Whitney Mansion on 5th Avenue near 79th Street in New York City (now the Cultural Services of the French Embassy) built in 1906 contains a small “Venetian Room” which has a cornice of metal lattice entwined with dozens of porcelain flowers. The room is in a very fragile condition and plans have been made to stabilize and restore the decorations . To raise money for the restoration, individuals are being asked to donate $500 to “Adopt-A-Flower”. [I was in the building yesterday for a lecture and was handed a very small pamphlet about the project.] I wonder if finding multiple “small” donors to raise the cost of the restoration is easier than finding one or two large donors, or if this is a public relations campaign designed to catch the eye of large donors.