I ’m Benedetta, Italian born and London resident. I am an art historian and a specialist in Chinese art, dealing with anything relat...

About me

December 28, 2015 Benedetta Mottino 0 Comments

I’m Benedetta, Italian born and London resident. I am an art historian and a specialist in Chinese art, dealing with anything relating to the tomb of the First Emperor of China and how people imagined life after death in the Land of the Dragon. My love for writing and research took me to Oxford where I obtained a Doctoral degree in Archaeology a few years ago. I knew there was more to life than just interacting with books and cultures of the ancient past, so I joined an auction house where I could pursue my other interest in social interactions and the working of the human psyche.

I was fascinated by what drives people collect certain things and learned about the crucial role of objects in forging the identity of their possessors. Anything that we own, from the art to the clothes and accessories that we wear, and the social activities that we perform, are not just ‘things’ that we like, but markers of our own identity and how we wish to be perceived by the community that surrounds us.

I often travel by myself, longing to be charmed by the deep blue skies and the colour blocking palettes of the buildings, the fragrant smells of exotic street food or the piping hot mint tea, the incense, the spices and freshly baked bread as I sit down a cafe watching the world go by.

I am in the constant pursuit of breaking the barriers of my own culture to appreciate different point of views and expand the horizons of my intellect. I surely love to be considered a citizen of the world and this is how I feel alive. I also take pleasure in simple things like waking up early in the morning to appreciate silence as I sip a warm cappuccino. I practice all sorts of sports, with a preference over those bringing me closest to the nature in its purest state, like skiing, swimming, jogging and horse riding. Nothing beats the feeling of goodness that only working in harmony with nature can bring.      

      

                            

I wish I lived in a huge estate that could fit all the creatures that I have rescued from the streets and I cannot imagine my life without at least one furry friend by my side. I love colours, shapes and textures, and fashion in general in its capacity to enhance the several aspects of my personality. In a world full of rules and regulations, clothes provide innumerable ways to complete self-expression. They are excellent mediators between your emotions and daily situations, always protecting and reminding you that if life is not taken seriously all the time, then is the one worth living.

Today is a very special day, in every sense. In the first place, I have finally gotten around with starting my very own blog, which I...

Hello World and Merry Christmas!

December 26, 2015 Benedetta Mottino 0 Comments

Today is a very special day, in every sense. In the first place, I have finally gotten around with starting my very own blog, which I have been thinking about for such a long time. This very space of my own will be freely dedicated to the several sources of my inspiration, a story from the past, a tale of travel, a hidden gem, an art work selected from antiquity or the extension to one’s personality, fashion.

Today is also Christmas, the most joyful day of all; the day when this side of the world stops and time should be dedicated to love, sharing and compassion.

I remember dearly when, as a little girl, I used to spend this special day with my brother, mum and dad. We often travelled to Limone, a tiny village nestled in the Italian Alps next to the French border, in the evening on the 24th. The journey lasted about two and a half hours, and we children often fell asleep in the back seats, bundled up in my mum’s softest arctic fox’s fur coat, dreaming about our charming encounter with Santa Claus, later that night. Once at the house, the light went off as we hid underneath the tick, warm blankets, of a gigantic king bed, excited and inebriated by the most magical feeling of the year, the wait for the mysterious character. Dad played Santa, wearing several layers of puffy coats and manifesting himself between the blinds of the cold balcony.

I loved my parents’ joint efforts with preserving the very traditional magic of Christmas amongst their children and I am very jealous about that time, since they separated a few years later and sadly brought an end to the traditional idea of togetherness that so many children love.

Many years have gone past and I relocated in London a few years ago, sharing a small but cozy cottage with my boyfriend and beloved white furry bundle of joy, Nino, in Hampstead. To me, this is the most charming part of London. Once a Saxon village and land of crops and grazed animals, Hampstead became the attractive escape of wealthy Londoners wishing to fleecing the plaque in 1665 and find solace away from the noise of the city. Its little alleyways and cobbled streets still retain much of the village's eighteenth century splendour, with small and colourful residences, to historic homes embellished by fairytale gardens once inhabited by famous artists and writers such as Keats and Constable.

Enjoying a cup of earl grey tea amidst the crispy air and wonderful game of colours of the lush gardens of Burgh House, one can feel the splendour of the 18th century private paradise, residence of physician, Dr. Gibbons, and the source of happiness as it was described by Elsie Bambridge, one of its latest inhabitants.

Wandering through the enchanting game of small passageways and old stairways, hiding great picnic shops and cozy cafes, one can stumble upon the magic of the Holly Bush pub.Built in 1943, this charming gem is tucked in Holly Bush, a small cul-de-sac dotted with small traditional Victorian cottages a cozy. Its ensemble of small rooms offer the perfect retreat from the daily world of hustle and bustle and an escapade to the country where one can enjoy the quintessential of English togetherness and cuisine such as beef and ale, pheasant and fisherman's pie, whilst sitting amidst the warmth of a roaring coal fire and enjoying a pint of traditional London beer.