Holidaymakers on the Tuscan coast at the Hotel Il Pellicano at Porto Ercole, August 1969.

Slim Aarons, an acclaimed fine art photographer, is synonymous with images of mid-20th century luxury, glamour, and jet-set lifestyle. Known for his unique, candid portraits of celebrities, socialites, and the global elite, Aarons' work is a celebration of vintage elegance and opulent leisure, particularly evident in his iconic "Poolside Gossip" series. With exclusive access to the world's most exclusive gatherings, he crafted narratives of extravagance, often set against mesmerizing modernist architecture. His photography, which echoes the distinctive styles of contemporaries like Horst P. Horst, Helmut Newton, and Bert Stern, has been exhibited at esteemed institutions including the Getty Images Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Slim Aarons (1916-2006) worked mainly for society publications photographing "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." Taking pictures of the rich and famous both before and after serving as a photographer for the US military magazine Yank during World War II. His work has been included in the publications Town and Country, Holiday, Venture, LIFE and most well known for his photograph Poolside Glamour. Closely aligned with Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Aarons declined to join them in the founding of Magnum, leaving behind the world of black and white for sun-dazed glamour and frivolity. His intimate portrayals of the in crowd and jet set are rich in the wit and charisma that afforded Aarons such incomparable access to the highest of societies.

IFAC Arts is proud to represent in collaboration with Getty Images Hulton Archive Aarons' vast collection of negatives and transparencies, which span six decades of a lifestyle many dream of but few experience. Expert darkroom work on the original negatives and transparencies allow us to print his images up to the largest photographic sizes, inviting us to step into these dazzling images of the good life.