‘World’s most expensive home’ with only Caravaggio mural on sale for $547M

What could beryllium the world’s astir costly location is astir to spell up for auction for implicit fractional a cardinal dollars. But it’s not precisely for the location itself arsenic it is for the uncommon paintings wrong the home, including the lone ceiling mural ever painted by the celebrated Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

Known arsenic the Villa Aurora successful Rome, it is the past existing gathering of a 16th-century state retreat built by Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, and spans much than 30,000 quadrate feet, according to the listing handled by the Italian government.

If the villa sells for what it is asking for, it would beryllium considered the ‘world’s astir expensive’ location ever sold.

The day of the auction has been acceptable for January 18, 2022.

So acold that rubric falls to a 51,000-square-foot Hong Kong residence that sold for the equivalent of $361 cardinal successful 2017.

An exterior changeable of the Italian villa.Ministero della Giustizia

If the villa sells for anyplace adjacent its closing price, it would beryllium considered the astir costly location ever purchased. Ministero della Giustizia

The coating successful the erstwhile hunting lodge, dated astir 1597, was created by Caravaggio erstwhile helium was successful his 20s and the 3 gods depicted are believed to beryllium based connected the artist’s ain face.Getty Images

The Caravaggio mural, painted successful astir 1597 oregon 1598, is an oil-on-plaster coating that spans a monolithic 10 feet agelong and six feet wide.The coating depicts the gods Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto. Jupiter rides an eagle, portion Neptune is mounted connected a seahorse. A bare Pluto and a celestial sphere implicit the painting.

While astir of the paintings, including the murals person been preserved passim the centuries, the remainder of the villa remains successful a somewhat abandoned authorities and successful request of overmuch renovations.

The Caravaggio mural, which depicts the gods Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, was painted successful astir 1597 oregon 1598. Getty Images

In 1968, peeling overgarment revealed a look connected the ceiling that looked overmuch similar the artist. It had seemingly been painted implicit during a past renovation of the home, according to the New York Times. When it was uncovered, they recovered not lone the mural, but besides discovered Caravaggio had utilized himself arsenic a exemplary for the faces of the 3 gods.

The villa consists of 9 different ceilings painted by salient 16th-century artists, including 1 mural by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, besides known by Guercino. His fresco, titled “Aurora” is what the villa is named after.

The villa, located a stone’s propulsion from the Spanish Steps and the Borghese Gardens, besides contains rooms frescoed by Caravaggio’s modern Guercino.Ministero della Giustizia

The artwork astatine the home, which besides includes statues dating to 500 B.C., had a “conservative” estimated worth of €670 cardinal successful 2010.Ministero della Giustizia

Located successful cardinal Rome, the spot was erstwhile portion of an 89-acre property wherever writers and artists were definite to spot connected their Grand Tour, a travel done Europe commonly made by upper-class Europeans.Ministero della Giustizia

The paintings are valued astatine implicit $350 million. Ministero della Giustizia

“To person a ceiling by Guercino and the lone ceiling by Caravaggio makes it the astir peculiar residence of this benignant successful Italy,” Count Stefano Aluffi-Pentini, whose company, A Private View of Italy, organizes exclusive creation tours successful Rome, told The New York Times.

The artwork of the location is estimated to person had a “conservative” estimated worth of €670 cardinal successful 2010. The creation besides includes statues dating to 500 B.C.

Statues passim the location day backmost to 500 B.C. Ministero della Giustizia

The courtyard. Ministero della Giustizia

The exterior steps astir the villa. Ministero della Giustizia

The villa is located successful Rome “between via Vittorio Veneto, Porta Pinciana and Villa Borghese, successful 1 of the astir elegant areas of the capital,” according to the listing. Ministero della Giustizia

The property’s merchantability comes aft an extended inheritance quality pursuing the 2018 decease of its proprietor Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi.

Once a bid is accepted astatine auction, the authorities volition person the accidental to bargain the property astatine the aforesaid terms due to the fact that it is protected by the ministry of culture. But it is unclear if the authorities volition beryllium capable to spend the home.

It is expected to spell connected merchantability and up for auction connected January 18, 2022. Ministero della Giustizia

The astir costly residential existent property ever bought according to publically reported income is the £477million Ho Tung gardens successful Hong Kong, Christie’s records say.Ministero della Giustizia

The remainder of the location is request of renovations that are expected to outgo astir $13 million. Ministero della Giustizia

The property’s merchantability comes aft a lengthy inheritance quality pursuing the 2018 decease of its proprietor Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi.Ministero della Giustizia

It is estimated that different $12.75 cardinal is needed to reconstruct the location to archetypal glory.

If the merchantability goes through, it would besides bushed retired the $363 cardinal asking terms for a Los Angeles property antecedently dubbed the highest ever connected the market.