A fortunate art lover in Paris was ecstatic to discover on Tuesday that he had won a Pablo Picasso painting valued at over $1 million in a raffle. Ari Hodara, aged 58, expressed disbelief and questioned the legitimacy of the win when he received a call from the organizers following the draw at Christie’s auction house in Paris.
Hodara, a sales engineer who described himself as a Picasso enthusiast, shared that he stumbled upon the charity raffle by chance while dining at a restaurant over the weekend and decided to purchase a ticket. He mentioned that his first step would be to inform his wife, who was still at work, about the news and indicated that he intended to hold onto the painting for the time being.
The painting in question was Picasso’s Head of a Woman, a portrait of his muse and partner Dora Maar, created in 1941. The raffle, named “1 Picasso for 100 euros,” aimed to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research, with each 100 euro ticket equivalent to approximately $162.
The online raffle drew participants with the opportunity to win a masterpiece by the renowned Spanish artist. The draw successfully sold all 120,000 tickets globally, generating 12 million euros ($19.5 million) in proceeds. Out of this sum, one million euros will be directed to the Opera Gallery, an international art dealer that owned the painting.
Gilles Dyan, the founder of the gallery, disclosed that a discounted price was offered for the painting, with its public value set at 1.45 million euros ($2.35 million).
The initiative marked the third edition of the charity raffle, with the previous two events collectively raising over 10 million euros for cultural endeavors in Lebanon and water and sanitation programs in Africa. The Alzheimer Research Foundation, the organizer behind the raffle, has established itself as a significant supporter of Alzheimer’s research in France since its establishment in 2004.
The raffle’s success in garnering global participation and substantial contributions highlights the ongoing dedication to charitable causes through art and fundraising efforts.
