The life and works of Oliviero Toscani, who died on 13 January 2025. Born in 1942, he was 82 years old and had been suffering from a rare disease, amyloidosis, for about two years. A career that lasted about half a century, including successful advertising campaigns and services for the world of fashion. He leaves behind his wife Kirsti Moseng and six children.
Oliviero Toscani in 2023
The death of Oliviero Toscani she arrived at82 years. Since 10 January he had been hospitalized at the Cecina hospital (Livorno) following the worsening of his health conditions. About two years ago he was diagnosed with a rare disease, amyloidosis, which led him to lose over 40 kilos in a year. “I’m not afraid of death, as long as it doesn’t hurt”he said in an interview with Corriere della Sera. He leaves behind his wife Kirsti Moseng and six children, Alexandre, Olivia, Sabina, Rocco, Lola and Ali.
The career of Oliviero Toscani
Born in February 1942, Oliviero Toscani was one of the best known and most appreciated photographers in Italy. Son of Fedele Toscani, historic photojournalist of Evening Runbegan his career at 14, publishing his first photo in the same newspaper as his father. Immediately brilliant and divisive, he brought his vision of the world to the world advertising campaigns and in fashion magazinescome Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazar, taking photos for brands such as Valentino, Chanel and Fiorucci.
From 1982 to 2000 he worked with Benetton taking care of the shots and the concept of the company’s advertising campaigns, depicting in images some current themes of the time, such as racial equality, the death penalty, peace, always an innovative language. In those years he also founded the magazine Works e Colorsinternational center for modern communication arts and research. “Photography is the historical memory of the world. Before photography, in my opinion, it was all fake news. The Bible is fake news”he said in a recent interview with Fanpage.it about his idea of photography. Among the characters immortalized names such as Federico Fellini, Fidel Castro, Muhammad Alì, always with courage and strength: “If you do something new you are never sure if it will work, you have to have the courage to do it even without certainties.”
The announcement of the illness and the last appearance on video
In August 2024, Toscani spoke for the first time about suffering from one “incurable disease”amyloidosis, which had irreversibly changed his daily life. “Until the day before I was like this, I worked like I was 30 years old. Then one morning I woke up and suddenly I was 80.”he revealed in an interview with Corriere della Sera. Already on that occasion he had explained that he did not know how long he would have left to live, while specifying that he did not fear death: “I’m not afraid, as long as it doesn’t hurt.”
Oliviero Toscani’s last video appearance in September 2024
About a month after the announcement of the diagnosis, the famous photographer returned to show himself on video, in what is his last appearance on TV to date. He had been a guest on the program In Ondain the September 3 episode, hosted by Marianna Aprile and Luca Telese. In connection, Toscani spoke about his health conditions and revealed: “I have had a very privileged and lucky life, lived everything one could dream of living. Now I have to pay for everything I took before. You don’t have the courage to face life. If you live, you die.”
The photographer’s private life: his wife Kirsti Moseng and six children
Oliviero Toscani and second wife Kirsti Moseng
For about 50 years, Toscani was happily married to the former Norwegian model Kirsti Moseng. The first meeting took place in Milan, both in their early twenties, and when he saw her face on a cover of Vogue he had no doubts: she would become his wife. And so, a few years later, it really happened. Together they also became parents of three children, Rocco, Lola and Aliwhich later made him the grandfather of several grandchildren. Before Moseng, the photographer had two other wives, Brigitte and Agnete. From his first marriage he was born Alexandre (now the father of four children), while from the second Olivia and Sabina.
Source: www.fanpage.it
