This spring, Sotheby’s will present a landmark series of auctions showcasing The Jill and Marshall Rose Collection, among the most significant private holdings of 20th century American and European modernist photography to appear at auction. Formed principally during the 1980s, with shared conviction, discernment, and a passion for the arts, the collection reflects the complementary vision of Jill Kupin Rose’s scholarly eye and Marshall Rose’s enduring dedication to cultural stewardship.
Comprising 20 exceptional fresh to market photographs and works on paper, each piece reflects the couple’s bold yet thoughtful choices, resulting in a group distinguished by rarity, quality, and historical significance. Meticulously preserved and cherished privately for decades, the collection is led by Edward Steichen’s rare and monumental Balzac, The Open Sky, 11 P.M. (1908), believed to be one of only three extant examples of its scale (est. $700,000–1 million).
Works from The Jill and Marshall Rose Collection will inaugurate Sotheby’s dedicated photography auctions at its new global headquarters in the Breuer Building, marking a significant milestone in the continued recognition and appreciation of 20th century photography. The group will be presented across a series of sales, commencing with Sotheby’s spring Photographs auctions on 14 and 16 April*, with additional works appearing in the May Modern Day auctions.
“The Jill and Marshall Rose Collection is an extraordinary testament to the vision and discernment of two collectors who were truly ahead of their time. Each incredibly rare photograph reflects not only exceptional quality but also the collectors’ shared vision and steadfast passion for the arts. It is an honor to bring to market masterworks such as Edward Steichen’s Balzac, The Open Sky, 11 P. M., which was acquired at Sotheby’s 40 years ago. This is a meaningful moment for Sotheby’s and for the field, offering collectors the opportunity to engage with some of the most significant modernist images ever assembled.”
Emily Bierman, Sotheby’s Global Head of Prints & Photographs
Shaped through the collaborative vision of Jill Kupin Rose (1944 – 1996) and Marshall Rose (1937 – 2025), the Rose Collection reflects the couple’s complementary expertise and shared passion for the arts, which guided the assembly of this extraordinary private holding. Jill was a visionary cultural force, serving for fifteen years on the board of the International Center of Photography (ICP), later becoming its president and leading the expansion and renovation of its headquarters, helping transform ICP into one of the city’s most significant cultural institutions. Guided by instinct, scholarship, and close relationships within the photography world, Jill was also a respected curator who shaped important private collections, including The Cruz Collection, presented at ICP in 1985 in the exhibition Modernist Masterworks to 1925: From “the deLIGHTed eye” and later sold at auction in 2013. A discerning and deeply engaged collector, Jill was the driving force behind the formation of the Rose Collection itself, assembling it with conviction and foresight at a moment when the market for early modernist photography was still emerging.
A patron in the fullest sense, Marshall Rose, former chairman emeritus of the New York Public Library, demonstrated a lifelong and deeply civic commitment to the arts. A trustee for more than three decades and board chair for two terms, he played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Library’s Beaux-Arts landmark on Fifth Avenue and transforming adjacent Bryant Park into a vibrant public oasis. He championed major capital initiatives, including the creation of the Milstein Research Stacks, the establishment of the Science, Industry and Business Library, and renovations to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Mr. Rose was a trusted advisor to cultural organizations nationwide. In 2019, the Library recognized his lasting contributions with the dedication of a new plaza and entrance on West 40th Street in his name.
Following Jill’s passing in 1996, the New York Public Library honored her legacy by establishing the Jill Kupin Rose Gallery in 1998 within the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Today, her influence endures in the extraordinary collection she so thoughtfully built and lived with for decades—an enduring testament to a shared vision that, together with Marshall’s steadfast support, helped define a generation of collecting.
Sotheby’s
945 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10021
Prints & Photographs Part I
Live Auction, 14 April, 12 PM ET Exhibition: 1 – 13 April
Photographs Part II
Online Auction, 8 – 16 April, 12 PM ET
Exhibition: 1 – 13 April
Modern Day Auction
Live Auction, 20 May, 11 AM ET Exhibition: 2 – 19 May
