Christina P. Bellin (1939 – 27 April 1988,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

) was an Italian-born American model and an international social figure who was born in

. Her full name was Maria Christina Orfea Paolozzi ''di Chiusi'' Bellin.

Early life

Bellin was the daughter of Alice "Alicia" Orpha Spaulding (12 May 1917,

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

– 13 April 2002, New York City), a

United Fruit Company The United Fruit Company (later the United Brands Company) was an American multinational corporation that traded in tropical fruit (primarily bananas) grown on Latin American plantations and sold in the United States and Europe. The company was ...

heiress, and Count Lorenzo Paolozzi, a Roman aristocrat. She grew up at the Villa Paolozzi in

Rome, Italy Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

(1949–1952) and was educated in

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and at the

Madeira School The Madeira School (simply referred to as Madeira School or Madeira) is an elite, Private school, private, Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding college-preparatory school for Single-sex education, girls in McLean, Virginia, United States ...

in McLean, Virginia, USA.

Photographer's model

Bellin began modeling at the age of 17. She posed for a topless photograph taken by

Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', '' Vogue'' and '' Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and ...

Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' (stylized as ''Harper's BAZAAR'') is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. Bazaar has been published in New York City since November 2, 1867, originally as a weekly publication entitled ''Harper's Bazar''."Corporat ...

in 1962. The picture caused a sensation because at the time fashion magazines did not publish unclothed figures.

Marriage and divorce

In 1964 Bellin married Dr. Howard Bellin, a plastic surgeon. The couple gave "lively parties attended by an eclectic group which included

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

Jacob Javits Jacob Koppel Javits ( ; May 18, 1904 – March 7, 1986) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. During his time in politics, he served in both chambers of the United States Congress, a member of the United States House of Representa ...

Zsa Zsa Gabor Zsa Zsa Gabor ( , ; born Sári Gábor ; February 6, 1917 – December 18, 2016) was a Hungarian Americans, Hungarian-American socialite and actress. Her sisters were socialites and actresses Eva Gabor and Magda Gabor. Gabor competed in the ...

, karate instructors, and almost any glamorous personality who was visiting New York at the time". The Bellins divorced in 1982 and remarried again four months later when Mrs. Bellin fell ill. They divorced a second time when she seemed to be recovering. At the end of her life, she raised money for hospitals, in

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and

Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...

, and for orphanages in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, and was known to have supported eighteen foster children.

Death

Christina Bellin died of a brain tumor at her

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

home in 1988. She was nearly 49 years old. She was survived by two sons, Marco and Andy, and her sister, Francesca (Padilla). Her funeral was held at St. James Church at

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and 71st Street in Manhattan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellin Christina Models from New York City 1937 births 1988 deaths Deaths from brain cancer in New York (state)