03/03/2026 General, General Paintings, Asian Works of Art, General Furniture & Decorative Arts
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle is honored to auction property from the Collection of Argentina ‘Tina’ Hills: publisher, arts patron, and lifelong champion of the free press in Latin America. Italian-born and New York-raised, Tina Hills was a beloved Miami philanthropist whose contributions helped shape the city’s cultural and artistic landscape. Her remarkable life, which spanned over a century and took her from Italy to the United States and Puerto Rico, was dedicated to advancing education, the arts, and the free exchange of information. Property from The Tina Hills Collection will be offered in select auctions this Spring.
Argentina Schifano was born the eldest of five children on October 4, 1921, to loving and industrious parents in the Italian town of Pola on the Istrian Peninsula, now Croatia. Tina came to America at fourteen with her parents and quickly mastered English. By the age of 18, she was both enrolled at New York University and employed in her first management position with the Italian confectionary firm Buitoni-Perugina, makers of the iconic ‘Baci’ hazelnut truffles. Tina’s talent for logistics and marketing soon led her to manage Perugina’s flagship Fifth Avenue store. It was there that she met visiting publisher Angel Ramos, owner of the leading newspaper in Puerto Rico, El Mundo. The couple fell in love, and Tina became Mrs. Argentina Ramos, a driving force in the most comprehensive press, radio, and television conglomerate in Puerto Rico during the 20th century. For her efforts in championing the free dissemination of news throughout Puerto Rico and among Puerto Rican communities in the United States and elsewhere abroad, Tina received the prestigious Maria Moors Cabot Prize from Columbia University, the oldest international award in journalism recognizing contributions to Inter-American understanding.
Following Angel Ramos’ death in 1960, Tina retained ownership of El Mundo. For 50 years she also led the Angel Ramos Foundation, a philanthropic organization that in its time was the single largest independent grantmaking foundation on the island. The Foundation has been dedicated to breaking cycles of poverty by supporting educational, artistic, cultural, and social programs, as well as fostering
the organizational development of nonprofit entities.
A pioneer in the Latin American journalism industry, Tina was an active member of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), an organization dedicated to preserving freedom of the press, particularly in Latin America. In 1977, she achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman president of the IAPA—a remarkable accomplishment in a field traditionally dominated by men. Through her work in publishing and philanthropy, Tina met her second husband, Lee Hills, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor and influential figure in American journalism and publishing. As Chairman and CEO of Knight Ridder news service and publisher of the Detroit Free Press and The Miami Herald, Lee shared Tina’s passion for journalism and advocacy. Together, they made history as the only spouses to have both served as presidents of the IAPA.
Though Tina and Lee shared successful publishing careers, it was their mutual passion for philanthropy and the arts that truly inspired them. Tina and Lee were instrumental in the founding of downtown Miami’s cultural arts plaza. Through personal contributions and their creation of the Museum Loan Network—a national grant program designed to encourage and facilitate museum collection sharing—they helped transform the Miami Art Museum of Dade County, now known as the Pérez Art Museum Miami, into a world-class institution in a city synonymous with art and culture.
Tina’s dedication to the arts extended beyond this effort. She chaired the Dade County Arts Council, served as a trustee and officer of Bayfront Park Management Trust, and sat on the board of directors for the Florida Grand Opera, among other endeavors. In recognition of her significant contributions to the community, the Tina Hills Pavilion at Bayfront Park was named in her honor. It remains a vibrant gathering place for activities in downtown Miami.
For decades, Tina welcomed family and friends to her Miami home, where modern and traditional fine art paintings, Chinese works of art, and rare decorative objects were displayed in an eclectic mix reflecting her varied interests. Her extraordinary journey—from the Adriatic Coast to New York City, Puerto Rico, the American Midwest, and her beloved Miami—was generously dedicated to promoting human well-being and the proliferation of art and culture.
Doyle is especially proud to present Property from the Collection of Argentina ‘Tina’ Hills, whose life and legacy continue to inspire.
Property from The Tina Hills Collection will be offered in a series of sales through the Spring 2026 season.
Above (L-R): Tina with Angel Ramos, Tina with Lee Hills, Tina and Lee Hills with President John F. Kennedy