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The Edward Quinn Archive provides photos for media, exhibitions and collectors. It contains pictures of stars, celebrities and artists taken on the Côte d’Azur from the 1950s to the 1970s. The Irishman Edward Quinn (1920–1997) lived and worked as a photographer on the French Riviera. His images capture the unique charm, sophistication and chic elegance of this legendary time and place.

Highlights

  • Pablo Picasso with Ljubov Orlova, Sovjet actress. Vallauris 1954.
  • Alain Delon and Jane Fonda arriving at the film set of "Les Félins" ("Love Cage"). Ferrari 250 GT Spider California 1961. Antibes 1964. This car of Alain Delon was hammered 2015 for a record-breaking $18.5 million at an auction at Artcurial in Paris. The 250 GT Spyder California, Chassis No 2935, had been bought new by the actor Gérard Blain, then sold to fellow actor Alain Delon, who was photographed several times at the wheel of this machine, including in 1964. One of 37 examples, this Pininfarina-designed cabriolet, its whereabouts unknown to marque historians until now, is bound to attract the attention of collectors of important historic Ferrari.
  • Kim Novak had been the Queen of the Cannes Film Festival in 1956 and there was a much publicized romance with Prince Aly Khan. She came again to the Film Festival in 1959 as her film "In the Middle of the Night" was presented. She stayed with her parents in Aly Khan’s Château de l’Horizon. Her escort at the Film Festival was Cary Grant. Cannes 1959.
  • Elizabeth Taylor after the screening of "Around the World in 80 Days" at the Cannes Film Festival in 1957. She was among more than a thousand guests invited by her husband Mike Todd to a gala supper at Les Ambassadeurs to celebrate the film. At this time she was widely considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world.
  • Marlon Brando at the port in Bandol 1956.
  • The onlookers saw Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, very stylishly dressed disembarking from a Viking C2 aircraft, King\'s Flight, during the stop she made at Nice Airport, while on a flight from London to Malta where she was going to meet the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. She was greeted by local officials. Nice 19.3.1951.

News

Latest book: Picasso, Friends and Family

Latest book: Picasso, Friends and Family

Photographs by Edward Quinn

Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin 2023


Edited by Wolfgang Frei, Introduction by Jean-Louis Andral, Director Picasso Museum, Antibes.
230 pages, 220 photos, Text in English
Hatje Cantz Verlag

"He doesn’t bother me," Picasso commented of the photographer Edward Quinn, after the latter had first photographed him at work in the ceramics studio in the early 1950s. This was undoubtedly one of the reasons why Quinn was allowed to accompany the artist with his cameras for over 20 years from 1951 onwards during his time on the Côte d’Azur: in the studio, in private with his family, with artist friends, at the bullfight, out and about, with lovers or simply at the hairdresser’s.
Edward Quinn’s vivid photographs from Pablo Picasso’s everyday life are not only of great intimacy, disclosing their mutual friendship, they also document his versatile character, his humor, and his enthusiasm in an amiable and lighthearted way. As a viewer of Edward Quinn’s photographs, you find yourself at eye level with the protagonists.

New book: Monaco Motor Racing

New book: Monaco Motor Racing

Edited by Wolfgang Frei. English and German. 240 pages, 277 photos

Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld 2022. ISBN 978-3-667-1.

The motor sport of the 1950s and 60s remains incomparable in its attractiveness. This is due in large measure to legendary drivers like Ascari, Berghe von Trips, Fangio, Hill and Moss on the one hand, and to the big brand names that were active in these decades on the other, including Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus, Mercedes, Porsche and many others. Monaco remains a highlight of the racing calendar to this day – an event that combines thrilling action, glamor and drama like no other.

Photographer Edward Quinn, who documented Formula 1 racing, but also the Monte Carlo Rally and other formula races from 1950 onwards, is an integral part of this fascinating world. Thrilling skirmishes on the circuit, spectacular accidents and tragic retirements are balanced against hectic activity in the pits. However, Quinn not only captured the racing action, but also the hustle and bustle of trackside life: drivers’ wives, mechanics, team bosses, celebrities, and spectators – as well as royal couple Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.

 

Reviews, corrigenda and comments

“It’s hard to imagine a modern equivalent of Edward Quinn’s photographs of celebrities holidaying on the French Riviera in the 50s.”

The Guardian, 5.4.2007.

Exhibitions

Picasso íntimo y los años dorados de la Costa Azul. Fotografías de Edward Quinn

Sep 13 2023 - Jan 7 2024

Picasso íntimo y los años dorados de la Costa Azul. Fotografías de Edward Quinn

Intimate Picasso and the Golden Years of the Côte d'Azur. Photographs by Edward Quinn

Centro de Historias, Zaragoza, Spain

Picasso. Fotografien von Edward Quinn

Sep 15 - Oct 1 2023

Picasso. Fotografien von Edward Quinn

At Milchhütte Gallery, Zumikon, Switzerland.
Parallel to this, a Picasso studio for children. Here, for example, the young artists deal with Picasso's goat Esmeralda and create artworks. 

Picasso y los años dorados de la Costa Azul

Feb 24 - Jun 30 2023

Picasso y los años dorados de la Costa Azul

Picasso and the Golden Years of the Côte d'Azur. 140 photos by Edward Quinn of Picasso and the celebrities at the Côte d'Azur.

Centro Cultural La Malagueta, Malaga, Spain

 

Maya Ruiz-Picasso, daughter of Pablo

April 16 – Dec 31 December 2022

Maya Ruiz-Picasso, daughter of Pablo

40 photos of Maya and Picasso as part of this exhibition.

Musée nationale Picasso-Paris.

Von Picasso bis Hockney. Edward Quinn. Künstlerfotograf

June 6 – Oct 10 2020

Von Picasso bis Hockney. Edward Quinn. Künstlerfotograf

Picasso to Hockney. Edward Quinn, Photographer of Artists Stadtturmgalerie Gmünd, Kärnten/A

Picasso. L'altra meta del cielo

Nov 30 2019 – Mar 11 2020

Picasso. L'altra meta del cielo

Foto di Edward Quinn.
Museo Mediceo di Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Firenze