A sales engineer from Paris has experienced a life-changing moment after discovering he won a Pablo Picasso painting valued at over one million euros through a charitable raffle. Ari Hodara, aged 58, purchased his €100 ticket just days before the draw and was selected as the winner during a ceremony held at Christie's auction house in the French capital.
Stunning Raffle Victory
Mr Hodara initially questioned whether the news was genuine when organisers video-called him to announce his prize. "How do I check that it's not a hoax?" he remarked upon learning he had won Picasso's 'Head of a Woman,' a portrait of the artist's longtime muse and partner Dora Maar, painted in 1941. The artwork carries an estimated value of €1.45 million, equivalent to approximately £1.26 million.
Charity Initiative Details
The raffle, titled '1 Picasso for 100 euros,' represented its third iteration and successfully sold 120,000 tickets. Gilles Dyan, founder of the Opera Gallery which owned the painting, provided a preferential price for the piece, with its public valuation set at 1.45 million euros. From the €12 million generated through ticket sales, €1 million will be allocated to the Opera Gallery, while the remaining proceeds will support charitable causes.
Organisers, spearheaded by French journalist Peri Cochin with endorsement from Picasso's family and foundation, have conducted similar raffles in 2013 and 2020. Previous winners include a 25-year-old American from Pennsylvania and an accountant from Ventimiglia in northwest Italy who received her ticket as a Christmas gift from her son.
Winner's Immediate Plans
Mr Hodara, still processing his extraordinary luck, shared his initial intentions. "First, I will tell the news to my wife, who has yet to return from work," he stated. "And at first, I think I'll take advantage of it and keep it." The painting was acquired from the private art dealership Opera Gallery specifically for this charitable endeavour.
Significant Charitable Impact
The entire €12 million raised from the raffle will be donated to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation. Olivier de Ladoucette, head of the foundation, emphasised the critical need for increased research funding during a statement on Tuesday. "The funding for research is ridiculous," he declared. "In our developed societies, we still haven't understood that this is a major public health issue and that absolutely everyone needs to get involved."
He further added, "This Picasso initiative is one more building block so that one day Alzheimer's will be nothing more than a bad memory." The raffle represents a creative approach to generating substantial resources for medical research while making high-value art accessible through an affordable participation model.
