In the heart of Rome, the property looks like a fortress. Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi welcomes us. She is American, originally from Texas, and above all the 3rd wife of Prince Boncompagni Ludovisi, who died in 2018. As the heirs did not get along, the Rome court ordered the auction of the villa Aurora, built in the 17th century .
The sale takes place on Tuesday January 18 at 3 p.m. and must last 24 hours. The princess wants to believe that a buyer will show up: “Even before my husband’s death in 2018, we had offers of up to 350 million euros for the villa. And three of them were billionaires who I think you would recognize, but we can’t. talk. We’ll see.”
If the building is estimated at nearly half a billion euros (471 million), it is because Caravaggio (1571-610), master of chiaroscuro, painted a ceiling, the only one in all his career. Because Guercino (1591-1666) also painted several magnificent frescoes there.
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After auction, Villa Aurora might thus become the most expensive house in the world. But at such a price, can the state afford to pre-empt the sale? Princess Boncompagni Ludovisi don’t believe it: “It doesn’t matter who buys it but the state doesn’t seem able to do it with all the problems going on in the world, with the Covid, people who are unemployed and so many things. I think it doesn’t won’t happen. But who knows?”
“What would be really nice is if whoever buys it has the sensitivity that Nicolo and I had for art and history and preserves it because it’s a National Historic Landmark!”
Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisiat franceinfo
If potential buyers do not show up, the price will fall by 20% and a final sale will be scheduled within three months.