Edward Quinn

Edward Quinn's Rivera Cocktail

A beautiful and serene Grace Kelly

Brigitte Bardot in mambo scene from ‘And God Created Woman’, 1956

Edward Quinn's long time friend Picasso

Irish photographer Edward Quinn (1920-1997) photographed some of the most iconic figures of the 20th Century. Quinn was a fixture on the French Riviera during the 1950s, when the area’s great hotels and casinos returned to top form after the ravages of WWII. Quinn was witness to the Riviera’s social life and at the epicentre of its glitz and glamour.

Before the era of private photographers and press agents Quinn gained access to the darlings of the day through a very simple, yet powerful means—his charm.

For some stars, Quinn even helped broker future success—his pictures of a then-unknown Audrey Hepburn won Hollywood's attention and it was Quinn who orchestrated the first meeting between Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III. In 1951 he introduced himself to Picasso, spawning a life-long friendship that allowed him to capture a seldom-seen private side of that very public genius.

Edward Quinn’s Riviera, chronicled in Rivera Cocktail, remains an enduring and timeless place to retreat.

All photos from the Edward Quinn Archive. All rights reserved.