You’ve probably walked past it countless times, heading up from Via Veneto toward Porta Pinciana. Via Lombardia 46, about a ten-minute walk from the Barberini metro station: a perimeter wall, a few trees peeking out, and nothing else. Behind it lies Villa Aurora, which the Court of Rome put up for auction in January 2022 with an estimated value of 471 million euros.
Six auctions, zero bids, and an eviction
On the eve of the auction, big names were being bandied about— from Bill Gates to the Sultan of Brunei—and a petition with over thirty thousand signatures called on the government to step in. Then, on January 18, 2022, no one showed up. And so it went five more times, with the price dropping from 471 to less than 145 million.
Behind the sale lay a family feud: on one sidewere the children of Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi, who died in 2018; on the other, his widow, Rita Jenrette, a native of Texas. In late April 2023, the princess, who had lived there for twenty years, was evicted. She left under the escort of the Carabinieri, with her four poodles in tow.
How much is a ceiling worth (if it’s by Caravaggio)?
The Casino dell’Aurora Boncompagni Ludovisi covers about 2,800 square meters, with its park nestled between Via Veneto, Porta Pinciana, and Villa Borghese. It is the last remaining part of the ancient Villa Ludovisi, which was subdivided in the late 19th century to build the neighborhood where you might be having coffee today.
The detail that almost no one knows
We all call it a fresco, but strictly speaking, it isn’t: it’s an oil painting on plaster, 2.75 meters wide. It depicts Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto and was painted in 1597 for Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, the first person to truly believe in that young man with the impossible temperament.
For centuries, all traces of it had been lost: rediscovered in the 20th century, it was the 1990 restoration that confirmed Caravaggio’s authorship. Caravaggio’s works for sale are already extremely rare; this one, moreover, cannot be removed from the wall. Anyone who wants the painting must buy the entire house.
Who ended up buying Villa Aurora?
No one, as far as we know. In July 2023, the heirs announced, as reported by *La Repubblica*, that they had settled all disputes: no more court proceedings; the sale has been entrusted to a private broker.
Since then, among the historic homes for sale in Rome, it has been the most talked-about and the most private: nothing has leaked out about any concluded negotiations. The 310-million-euro ceiling is still waiting for an owner.
Caravaggio Paintings You Can See for Free in Rome
For the one on Via Lombardia, you’ll need a nine-figure check; for the others, just a short walk downtown is all it takes, because it’s one of the things you can do for free in Rome. At San Luigi dei Francesi, you’ll find the three paintings of St. Matthew; at Sant’Agostino, the Madonna of the Pilgrims; and at Santa Maria del Popolo, the two in the Cerasi Chapel.
Six masterpieces, free admission. Just bring a coin to turn on the lights.
