Historic Rome villa with world's only Caravaggio mural is up for auction with opening bid of USD 535 million
Hindustan TimesLooking for an opulent residence in Rome and have a spare half a billion euros to spend? Historic Rome villa with world's only Caravaggio mural is up for auction with opening bid of USD 535 million The property, which sprawls over 2,800 square metres including a lush garden, is home to the only known ceiling mural by Italian baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio. The villa is what is left of a country retreat established in the 16th century by Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte and later sold to its current owners, the noble Ludovisi family. Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi, who was born and raised in Texas but has lived in the villa for 18 years, told Reuters that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had once been interested in buying the property, as well as an emir of Qatar. The villa owes its name to a fresco by another baroque artist, Il Guercino, which adorns the huge ceiling of the entrance hall and depicts Aurora, goddess of dawn, riding her chariot.
History of this topic
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Hindustan Times
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