Edward Quinn's debut as a professional photojournalist was at an equestrian show jumping competition in Nice, France. This initiation established two constants of the Irish photographer s (1920 1997) work: the Côte d Azur as a setting and animals as a subject. Edward Quinn captured the shining stars of the 50's and 60's everyone from Grace Kelly to Salvador Dalí on film, preserving the magic of those boom years for future generations. Equipped with his Leica and an excellent eye, Edward Quinn brought artistry to celebrity photos, as People Magazine once wrote about him.

In the presence of their beloved pets, the stars are incredibly approachable and natural, whether it is Picasso romping with his dogs Kabul and Lump, or writer Somerset Maugham on all fours playing with his Pekingese Chin. We see Prince Rainer using a tiger as an icebreaker with Grace Kelly, and mixed-breed dog Guapa where every man dreamed of being: in bed with Brigitte Bardot.