Anthony Bourdain's 'indelible' image from 2007 and what he thought about it remembered by photographer

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A photo of Anthony Bourdain showing him in a very different light resurfaced this week, as a new documentary about the late celebrity chef and world traveler continues to make the rounds.

The Vanity Fair Instagram account posted a picture of Bourdain taken by photographer Melanie Dunea for her 2007 book, "My Last Supper." In the caption, the publication describes the visual as "one of the most indelible images ever taken of the late Anthony Bourdain."

"Images have so much power and you can’t control the interpretations," the post reads. 

"Neither of us had expected this image to become such a big deal," Dunea wrote in a July 23 Vanity Fair piece of the journeyman, who is shown naked and "armed with a bone and a cigarette" in the snap. 

Bourdain took his life in June 2018 while he was filming in France. He was 61.

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Anthony Bourdain is seen in a 2007 image taken by Melanie Dunea. The renowned chef and world traveler took his life in France at age 61. (Melanie Dunea)

Dunea also shared the image to her own Instagram profile and captioned the post, "Bourdain, My camera, and Me," the title of the story she penned for the magazine.

She called the picture "A very public photograph and the very personal story behind it."

In her essay, Dunea recalled the photoshoot itself and how afterward Bourdain was "reluctant to appear at [book] signings" or on TV so one day she decided to "flat-out ask if everything was okay." 

"He wrote back," she penned for Vanity Fair before revealing what Bourdain wrote in his note: "…And to be honest, I’m very wary of being seen to ‘sell’ naked pic of myself. No doubt, I’ll be asked to comment numerous times and will of course, sing book’s praises!" he said, per Dunea. 

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She continued: "His email reassured me. It seemed fair. And I shouldn’t have been so surprised considering what he wrote in the introduction."

"I’m of two minds about my photograph," Bourdain said. "I do always joke that (as a comedian once suggested) ‘I want to leave this world as I entered it: naked, screaming, and covered with blood,’ but I think perhaps Melanie might have taken me too literally. I am sure we can all agree that it’s probably not wise to make career decisions after four shots of tequila."

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Dunea noted how she "understood that he had regrets." 

"Neither of us had expected this image to become such a big deal. Images have so much power and you can’t control the interpretations. I didn’t regret it, but I understood," she stated.

The Vanity Fair piece coincides with Morgan Neville’s film, titled "Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain." It is the first time many who were close to the ‘’Parts Unknown" star openly discussed his life and death, including his ex-wife Ottavia Busia.

The pair were married in 2007 but separated in 2016. According to People magazine, the two never formally divorced but dated other people as they co-parented their daughter Ariane, now 14.

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"I thought he was going to be this bad boy – a little bit arrogant and not what I was expecting but endearing nonetheless," Busia recalled in the film, as quoted by the outlet.

While the "Parts Unknown" star wasn’t sure he’d be a great dad, Busia said his outlook changed when their daughter was born.

"Any doubts I may have had dissipated when I realized how happy he was that he was going to be a father," she said in the film.

She went on to explain that Bourdain’s filming schedule, which often saw him away from the family for 250 days a year, ultimately took its toll on their marriage.

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"It always seemed like what he wanted was this idyllic picture of family and ordinary life but then when he got it, I don’t know if he was… I don’t know," Busia admitted, as quoted by the outlet. "After a while maybe that wasn’t enough anymore."

Following their separation, Busia maintained that she noticed a change in Bourdain and had an inkling something was amiss.

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"He was not the same person," she said. "Something changed and became really heavy but he started going to therapy at a certain point and I thought, ‘I can take a step back. I don’t have to be like, you know, always so worried about him.'"

"I feel like that is something that I will always… I should have kept an eye on him more," she said.

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She added that her recollection of Bourdain in the film would likely be the last time she discusses him publicly as she simply wants to focus her energy on raising their daughter.

"I want to remember when we were together, all the amazing things that we’d done and the amazing person he was," she said.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Fox News’ Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.