Supermodel Naomi Campbell's billionaire Russian boyfriend is reportedly set to buy her 'Desdemona's house', an historic palazzo in Venice said to have been lived in by a noblewoman who inspired Shakespeare's tragedy 'Othello'.

Russian daily Trud reported that Campbell and property tycoon Vladislav Voronin met Monday with the owner of the renaissance Palazzo Contarini-Fasan, overlooking Venice's Grand Canal.

A contract of sale was being drawn up, the paper said.

Campbell and Voronin are in Venice for its annual film festival.

According to legend, the palazzo, built in 1475 and known to locals as 'Desdemona's House', was the home of a noblewoman, Desdemona, who was murdered by her jealous husband.

It is claimed Shakespeare drew inspiration from the real-life Desdemona in 'Othello', whose romantic heroine has the same name and is smothered to death.

Voronin is chairman of Capital Group, a Moscow-based real estate developer.