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John Lennon’s Final Day: From Café Breakfast to Iconic Photoshoot
The final day of John Lennon‘s life began with breakfast at Café La Fortuna alongside Yoko Ono, his wife of eleven years, followed by a visit to Viz-à-Viz for a haircut. Subsequently, he returned to the Dakota, the celebrated apartment building on Central Park West, their residence since 1973, for a scheduled photoshoot with acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Leibovitz was commissioned by Rolling Stone magazine to capture images of the couple.
A Glimpse of the Past
“John Lennon greeted me at the doorway wearing a black leather jacket,” Annie Leibovitz recounted. “His hair was styled back, reminiscent of his early Beatles era appearance. I was somewhat taken aback by this look.”
The Creative Vision for Rolling Stone
Leibovitz was aware that Rolling Stone‘s editor-in-chief, Jann Wenner, initially desired solo portraits of John Lennon. However, the musician firmly requested that Yoko Ono be included in the photographs. “I want to be with her,” Leibovitz remembered him stating, underscoring his desire to be photographed with his spouse.
The Birth of an Iconic Image
This photoshoot yielded the now-iconic photograph: a completely nude John Lennon embracing a fully clothed Yoko Ono, who chose to remain dressed. The couple reclined on the soft white carpet within their Dakota apartment living room, creating a stark and intimate portrait.
“This is Our Relationship”
Decades later, Annie Leibovitz reflected on the session with Rolling Stone. “I recall developing the Polaroid image, and John Lennon, upon viewing it, declared, ‘This is it. This is our relationship.'” The raw and emotional image resonated deeply with Lennon.
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From Album Art to Memorial Cover
Originally intended as the cover photograph for a Rolling Stone feature promoting John Lennon and Yoko Ono‘s album, Double Fantasy, the photograph ultimately graced the cover of the magazine’s January 22, 1981, memorial edition dedicated to John Lennon, taking on a poignant new significance after his tragic death.