Charlize Theron, Meghan Markle and More Mourn Death of Fashion Photographer Peter Lindbergh

The German photographer died on Tuesday at age 74

Photo: Sussex Royal/Instagram

Famed fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, known for his stripped-back portraits that captured his subjects’ natural beauty, and for helping to helm the ’90s supermodel era, died on Tuesday. He was 74.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Lindbergh on September 3rd 2019, at the age of 74,” his family announced on Instagram Wednesday. “He is survived by his wife Petra, his first wife Astrid, his four sons Benjamin, Jérémy, Simon, Joseph and seven grandchildren. He leaves a big void.”

Tributes quickly flooded in for the German shutterbug, who worked on campaigns for brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton, and shot covers for high-profile publications like Vogue.

“Heartbroken. 💔 R.I.P. my Peet. 🕊@therealpeterlindbergh 🙏🏻,” model Linda Evangelista, 54, wrote on Instagram.

Evangelista famously appeared alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz on the January 1990 cover of British Vogue, which was shot by Lindbergh and is widely considered as having helped launch the supermodel era.

Charlize Theron, 44, who appeared in his 2015 J’adore Dior fragrance commercial, also paid tribute with a pair of on-set photos from the shoot.

“My heart is broken. Peter Lindbergh was a genius and an absolute master of his craft. But beyond that, what made him truly one of a kind was his consistent kindness, warmth, and incredible sense of humor,” she captioned her photo. “One of the best human beings I have ever met. I will never forget you, my friend ❤️”

Antonio Banderas, 59, shared a black-and-white portrait taken by Lindbergh to Twitter, writing, “Goodbye Peter Lindbergh, big master of everlasting moments. RIP.”

Later, Diane Kruger, 43, honored the photographer, writing on Instagram, “It’s with great sadness that I read about the passing of the great @therealpeterlindbergh. We collaborated many times over the years and he’s taken some of my favorite portraits. He was full of life, always enthusiastic and had an easy smile on his face. He loved women and created some of the most iconic images of our time. Adieu Peter, it was great knowing you…my heart goes out to your family and children. You may be gone but your work will remain with us to always remember you ♥️ RIP.”

Lindbergh also shot the album artwork for Beyoncé’s I Am… Sasha Fierce and was known for his work on the Pirelli calendar, which he shot in 1996, 2002 and 2017.

For his final calendar, instead of models, the photographer shot actresses like Uma Thurman and Nicole Kidman with little to no makeup.

Thurman, 49, revealed on Tuesday that she and Lindbergh had collaborated once again for the cover of GQ Style Germany, which reads, “Uma Thurman by Peter Lindbergh” in large orange letters.

Peter Lindbergh. Anita Bugge/WireImage

“Thank you Peter Lindbergh and GQ, happy fall fashions!” she captioned the Instagram post.

Lindbergh’s stripped-back portraits also made an appearance in the September issue of British Vogue, which was guest-edited by Meghan Markle, who hand-picked Lindbergh herself.

“My instructions from the Duchess were clear: ‘I want to see freckles!’” he told the publication. “Well, that was like running through open doors for me. I love freckles!”

The Sussex Royal Instagram page paid tribute to Lindbergh following news of his death with a post that included a black-and-white picture of him and Markle, 37, embracing.

“His work is revered globally for capturing the essence of a subject and promoting healthy ideals of beauty, eschewing photoshopping, and preferring natural beauty with minimal makeup,” the post read. “The Duchess of Sussex had worked with Peter in the past and personally chose him to shoot the 15 women on the cover for the September issue of British Vogue, which she guest-edited. There is no other photographer she considered to bring this meaningful project to life.”