American-born Italian Princess Expelled from 'Caravaggio Ceiling Painting Mansion'

An American-born Italian princess was forcibly evicted from 'Villa Aurora' in Rome, Italy, where she had lived for over 20 years. This mansion is famous for housing the only ceiling painting by the Baroque master Caravaggio.

Princess Rita posing in front of Villa Aurora in 2021 [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

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According to local media reports including the Italian daily 'Corriere della Sera' on the 20th (local time), Princess Rita Yenrete Boncompagni Ludovisi (73) was evicted from Villa Aurora in Rome under police supervision, accompanied by her four poodles.

In January, the Rome court issued an eviction order to Princess Rita for failing to properly maintain the building, including parts of the exterior wall collapsing, and for conducting paid tours of the mansion without official permission. When Princess Rita did not comply with the eviction order, the Rome authorities mobilized the police to enforce the eviction on that day.

In a video posted on her social media, Princess Rita claimed, "I was cruelly driven out of the home I lovingly cared for over the past 20 years," calling it "an illegal and unnecessary eviction." She also said, "Some say it's because I am a woman and American, but I don't really know," adding, "What is clear is that this is all about money."

Princess Rita is the third wife of Prince Niccol? Boncompagni Ludovisi, a descendant of the Ludovisi family. Although the monarchy was abolished in Italy, Niccol? Boncompagni Ludovisi continued to be called a prince, and his wives were given the title of princess.

Born Rita Carpenter, Princess Rita was born in Texas, USA, and worked as an actress and broadcaster before entering the real estate business in the 1990s. She was a well-known figure in the US even before marrying Prince Niccol?. After graduating from the University of Texas and being active in the Texas Republican Party, she married John Garrett, a US Congressman. After her husband was convicted of bribery, she divorced him and appeared as a Playboy cover model under the title "Liberation of a Congressman's Wife," exposing her husband's infidelity.

She met Prince Niccol? through real estate business. They met in 2003 while working on a hotel development project near Rome, fell in love at first sight, and married in 2009. At the time of their marriage, Prince Niccol? granted Princess Rita the right to live in Villa Aurora for life, and stipulated that if the mansion were sold, the profits would be shared with his three sons from his first wife.

After Prince Niccol?’s death in 2018, Princess Rita engaged in an inheritance dispute with her stepchildren. Ultimately, the Rome court ruled that the mansion should be sold and the proceeds divided, and the mansion was put up for auction last year.

The auction, which started in January last year with a starting price of 471 million euros (approximately 686.8 billion KRW), failed repeatedly. The next auction, scheduled for June 30, has a starting price reduced to 145 million euros (approximately 111.4 billion KRW). The buyer of this mansion, protected under Italian cultural heritage law, must pay an additional 11 million euros (approximately 1.6 billion KRW) for restoration costs.

The ceiling painting by Caravaggio, a master of Baroque art
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

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Built in 1570, the mansion sits on a 2,800㎡ (approximately 847 pyeong) plot and consists of a six-story cruciform building and a large garden. The Ludovisi family purchased this mansion as a villa in 1621 and has owned it ever since. The mansion houses Caravaggio’s only ceiling painting, "Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto," completed in 1597. The court appraised the painting’s value at 310 million euros (approximately 452 billion KRW).

Princess Rita hopes that the Italian government will purchase and preserve this mansion, which holds cultural heritage-level value.

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