Marella Rossi: Preserving Legacy and Pioneering Dialogue at Aveline Antiques
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Aveline, the renowned Paris antique gallery, stands as a testament to a family legacy and a bold vision for the future of art. As the 23rd edition of ‘Chambres à part’ for art Basel prepares to open,Marella Rossi,52,navigates the bustling gallery with a steadfast pace,ensuring every detail is perfect. She carries the weight of her father’s esteemed reputation – Jean-Marie Rossi,a dean of paris antique dealers who passed away in 2021 – while simultaneously forging her own path,blending centuries-old masterpieces with contemporary works.
A Family History Etched in Art
The atmosphere at Aveline is charged with anticipation. Lights are being installed, and priceless 18th-century furniture is carefully repositioned for the exhibition curated by artist Laurence Dreyfus.”If the boss is there,she is suppose to have a solution for everything and sometimes she doesn’t,” a staff member remarks,highlighting the pressure Rossi faces. Despite the demands, she maintains a gracious demeanor, offering greetings and thanks to everyone she encounters, her focus unwavering: to reach her office, a space deeply connected to her father’s memory.
The office itself is a reflection of Jean-Marie rossi’s life and work. She sits with a visitor in two Louis XV armchairs, their original blue silk upholstery a testament to enduring craftsmanship, facing a robust table from the 1950s where her father spent countless hours. Rossi chose the table previously owned by Hubert de Givenchy, acquired at auction when the couturier downsized his Paris apartment. “He made so much money with the furniture that he was able to keep the apartment and dedicated himself to redecorating it,” she explains, pausing to search for a cigarette.Instead, she retrieves a framed photograph, placing it prominently on the table – a snapshot of herself, her brother Frederick, and her father, leading them by the hand.
“It was a good day,” Rossi reflects, her voice softening. “Cynthia (the daughter of Jean-Marie Rossi and Carmen Martínez-Bordiú, born in 1985) had just been born, and we were going to meet her. It hadn’t been a year as the death of my twin sister in a water accident (Mathilda). Cynthia saved us all.” The photograph serves as a poignant reminder of both profound loss and newfound hope.
From Auction Rooms to Aveline’s Helm
Marella Rossi’s journey into the world of antiques began in her childhood. She entered the trade in 1999, at the age of 26, navigating a traditionally male-dominated field. “Me being 1.80 saved me – and she sends thanks to her paternal grandmother, who was six feet tall – to heaven, but I still wore heels,” she quips, acknowledging the challenges she faced. Her foundation, however, was exceptionally strong. She held a Fine Arts degree from the Sorbonne, completed a course at Christie’s, and studied at both the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles.
But her education extended far beyond formal institutions. “From the age of five, my father would pick me and Mathilda up from school, buy us a bun from the pastry shop across the street and take us to the auctions at the drouot Hotel. We would enter a room and he would tell us: ‘You have a second to identify the most valuable piece in this room.’ We learned a lot thanks to that game.” This immersive upbringing instilled in her a discerning eye and an unparalleled understanding of value.
Rossi acknowledges the complexities of her family history, including her parents’ divorce and her father’s three marriages. “It’s a crazy family,” she admits, noting they all remain connected through a WhatsApp group. Jean-Marie Rossi’s career began as an assistant to Maurice Aveline, eventually leading to a partnership and, ultimately, sole ownership of the business. He transformed a mansion on Place Beauvau, near the Elysée Palace, into a bright, 600-square-meter gallery, famously funding the renovation with the sale of a Roy Lichtenstein painting – “The Ring,” purchased in 1963 for 6,000 francs and sold for 12 million.
A Vision for the Future of Antiques
Rossi inherited a clientele that included the Rothschild family, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Louvre, and prominent interior designers like David Mlinaric and Peter Marino. Her father was known for his uncompromising standards, willing to pay any price for the best pieces. Rossi maintains this commitment to quality. “My furniture is worth a lot of money because I know where to find it, it is of a high standard, it is museum furniture that I look for all over the world. We don’t restore anything, at most we clean and varnish.”
Since taking the helm, Rossi has infused Aveline with a fresh perspective, believing a gallery should be “a place of experimentation and dialogue.” This translates into a intentional mixing of 18th-century furniture with contemporary art, a practice she inherited from her father. She has collaborated with galleries like Continua in Italy and Sperone Westwater in New York, as well as museums such as the Fontainebleau Castle, to showcase this unique juxtaposition.
Rossi admits that as her father aged, tensions rose, leading to a temporary relocation of his office. “I was leaving or we were going to kill ourselves,” she confesses. He afterward founded Art Link,a company offering art advisory services. “I’m never going to tell anyone what to buy, I enjoy letting them discover their tastes more. On the other hand, many families don’t know what to do with inheritances and if you don’t have a good advisor the market will eat you up.” She cautions against viewing art solely as an investment, advocating for a more visceral connection. “I go against everyone, I wouldn’t use art as an investment, it’s horrible, today no one looks at what they are buying, they buy it because they believe that maybe one day they will make money.And no, art has to be bought with the guts.” When asked about the best places to find antiques, she simply replies, “ah, but do you think I’m going to tell you?”
As the interview concludes, Rossi opens the windows to dispel the scent of tobacco, signaling the end of the conversation. Her mother, Barbara Hottinguer, arrives, and Rossi reviews the Aveline catalog, pointing out a Napoleon-era censer and a Louis XV commode. “Everything is for sale except me,” she laughs. Despite recent injuries sustained in an accident in Saint-tropez – “I’m tired, an accident in Saint-Tropez has left me with several compressed ribs” – she maintains a resolute spirit. “No, because I have decided to be happy. If you lose your twin sister at the age of nine, you can be happy for the rest of your life. Nothing worse can happen to you.” Marella Rossi embodies a rare blend of tradition and innovation, ensuring Aveline remains a vibrant force in the world of art and antiques.
