Bernard Arnault Acquires Casa degli Atellani in Milan, Closing to Public

Casa degli Atellani and the Vigna di Leonardo, two of Milan's most important Renaissance attractions, will close to the public starting October 1. The complex was purchased in December by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, founder and CEO of LVMH, the luxury conglomerate owning over 70 brands including Dior, Bulgari, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton. Reopened in 2015, the site had been hailed by Lombardy's new culture councilor Francesca Caruso as a potential "national heritage" and a stop on the "Leonardo circuit." Sources close to the Arnault family indicate the property will have "essentially private use" with a portion dedicated to cultural activities and the public, and that the project will be developed in coordination with the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage and the City of Milan. The acquisition follows Arnault's 2013 purchase of the Pasticceria Cova on Via Montenapoleone, which was subsequently transformed into an upscale establishment. The complex dates to 1490, when Ludovico il Moro gifted two adjacent houses to nobleman Giacomo di Lucia dell'Atella. In 1498, the Duke donated a small vineyard to Leonardo da Vinci. After various ownership changes, engineer and senator Ettore Conti bought the complex in 1919 and commissioned architect Piero Portaluppi to restore it, merging the two houses and rediscovering frescoes and artifacts.