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| Garden painted by Monet could be sold to developers, says owner | Garden painted by Monet could be sold to developers, says owner |
| (4 months later) | |
| A famous villa and its garden in Liguria, Italy, where visitors can admire olive trees painted by Monet are at risk of being sold off to developers after the owner amassed debts of more than €1m. | A famous villa and its garden in Liguria, Italy, where visitors can admire olive trees painted by Monet are at risk of being sold off to developers after the owner amassed debts of more than €1m. |
| Villa Mariani in Bordighera was built by the Italian painter Pompeo Mariani in 1909, complete with a huge artist's studio with views over the Mediterranean, when the area was a popular destination for British aristocrats. | Villa Mariani in Bordighera was built by the Italian painter Pompeo Mariani in 1909, complete with a huge artist's studio with views over the Mediterranean, when the area was a popular destination for British aristocrats. |
| The villa was built in a garden laid out years earlier which was nicknamed Eden after an Italian oil exporter planted exotic flora from around the world. Visiting in 1884, Claude Monet painted olive trees and sea views, writing that a "garden like that cannot be described, it is pure magic, all the plants of the world grow there as if nobody ever took care of them". | The villa was built in a garden laid out years earlier which was nicknamed Eden after an Italian oil exporter planted exotic flora from around the world. Visiting in 1884, Claude Monet painted olive trees and sea views, writing that a "garden like that cannot be described, it is pure magic, all the plants of the world grow there as if nobody ever took care of them". |
| The property was purchased and opened to the public in 1998 by the Italian art expert Carlo Bagnasco, but after he built up debts of €1.2m (£1m) restoring the site, a court this month threatened to sell the house to the highest bidder, valuing it at €16m. | The property was purchased and opened to the public in 1998 by the Italian art expert Carlo Bagnasco, but after he built up debts of €1.2m (£1m) restoring the site, a court this month threatened to sell the house to the highest bidder, valuing it at €16m. |
| "I have previously had offers for €20m from Russians, so I believe they would return for an auction," said Bagnasco adding that he had now struck a last minute deal with the banks to pay off the debt within 18 months and would sell off works by Mariani. | "I have previously had offers for €20m from Russians, so I believe they would return for an auction," said Bagnasco adding that he had now struck a last minute deal with the banks to pay off the debt within 18 months and would sell off works by Mariani. |
| "The court valued the olive trees at €500,000 thanks to the Monet connection and saw that income from tourism would also help pay the debt," he said. | "The court valued the olive trees at €500,000 thanks to the Monet connection and saw that income from tourism would also help pay the debt," he said. |
| But the danger of losing the house is not over, he said. "Developers want to turn the villa into flats and I believe whoever wanted to get their hands on it was able to damage my credit worthiness with the banks – and they won't give up." | But the danger of losing the house is not over, he said. "Developers want to turn the villa into flats and I believe whoever wanted to get their hands on it was able to damage my credit worthiness with the banks – and they won't give up." |
| Visitors, in the meanwhile, will still be able to follow in the footsteps of the actor Charlie Chaplin, the composer Giacomo Puccini and the American tycoon Andrew Carnegie, all of whom have visited the villa and its grounds. | Visitors, in the meanwhile, will still be able to follow in the footsteps of the actor Charlie Chaplin, the composer Giacomo Puccini and the American tycoon Andrew Carnegie, all of whom have visited the villa and its grounds. |
| Bordighera became popular with Britons in the 1860s after the success of the novel Doctor Antonio in the UK. The book tells of a British woman who falls in love with an Italian doctor in the town. | Bordighera became popular with Britons in the 1860s after the success of the novel Doctor Antonio in the UK. The book tells of a British woman who falls in love with an Italian doctor in the town. |
| "Villa Mariani is one of a group of villas and gardens that make Liguria famous, and the Monet connection gives it special importance," said a regional culture assessor, Angelo Berlangieri. "We are unhappy with the idea it could be sold and we certainly don't have money to buy it ourselves." | "Villa Mariani is one of a group of villas and gardens that make Liguria famous, and the Monet connection gives it special importance," said a regional culture assessor, Angelo Berlangieri. "We are unhappy with the idea it could be sold and we certainly don't have money to buy it ourselves." |
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