Hôtel Des Ventes de Monte-Carlo opens first Italian branch in Parma

On March 2, 2024, the auction house Hôtel Des Ventes de Monte-Carlo inaugurated its first Italian branch in Parma, located at Borgo della Posta in a 200-square-meter space. Founded in 2012 and already active in France, the house aims to attract Italian collectors with an inaugural exhibition spanning from ancient art to Andy Warhol, including a work attributed to Peter Paul Rubens depicting Tomyris, Queen of the Scythians. The choice of Parma was strategic, according to new general director Ugo Biacchi, a local who has worked with the house for twenty years. Factors include the city's Mercanteinfiera fair and its position on the Milan-Rome axis. President Franck Baille highlighted historical ties between Monaco and Parma, noting that Honoré II, the first Prince of Monaco, married a woman from Bardi in the province of Parma. The exhibition features works by Andy Warhol (portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Mick Jagger, Mao Zedong), Louis Ritman, Antonio Teruzzi, and Sansovino-era sculptures, as well as Byzantine colliers and an early 19th-century crown. Beyond commerce, the house plans educational initiatives with local institutions like Liceo Artistico Toschi, offering guided visits to introduce students to art professions. Biacchi stated the goal is to present art as a tool for human growth and to create a space of knowledge, not just trade.