From Art History Major to "Indiana Jones of Art:" Anna Bottinelli's Story

Anna Bottinelli

“My name is Anna Bottinelli and I am from Florence. I graduated from JCU in 2010 with a major in Art History and a minor in Business Administration. On-site classes and field trips were a great strength of the Art History classes, for they combined what I read in textbooks with first-hand observation. There is nothing like learning about the Colosseum while sitting on the cobblestones in its shadow! My Business minor, instead, taught me professional skills that proved to be essential for job applications, no matter what I was applying for. My professors’ availability exceeded all expectations, and with several of them, I still maintain a wonderful friendship.

After my graduation from JCU in October 2010, I began graduate school at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, to pursue an MA in 13th and 14th-century Tuscan painting. Living in London was amazing, but studying at the Courtauld was just the best experience I could have ever wanted. The environment was so stimulating that I could feel my brain expanding every day to make room for all the new things I was learning! The MA was demanding and I always felt challenged, but thankfully JCU provided me with the skills to thrive among some of the best art scholars in the world.

And now? I will be employed for a year by an American author as his Italy-based researcher. I am one of a seven-person team working on a project on the topic of art thievery during and after WW II. I am absolutely loving this job, for it combines my passions for art, research, and analysis. I have become a kind of  “art-detective” throughout Italy, an “Indiana Jones of Art,” as my supportive boyfriend calls me! Every day is different, as I follow unusual leads and investigate information that has not been published before. My tasks are unpredictable, and so are my findings. How did I find this job? Thanks to an email from a JCU Professor!”