In an extraordinary stroke of luck, Ari Hodara, a 58-year-old software engineer from Paris, has become the proud owner of a Pablo Picasso painting valued at more than €1 million (£870,000) after winning a charity raffle with a €100 ticket. The win, which Hodara initially feared might be a hoax, unfolded via a video call from Christie's auction house in Paris on Tuesday, leaving the art amateur in disbelief.
From Doubt to Delight: The Winning Moment
When Hodara received the video call informing him of his prize, his first reaction was one of skepticism. "How do I check that it's not a hoax?" he asked, reflecting the surreal nature of the situation. Hodara, who describes himself as a fan of Picasso, had purchased the ticket over the weekend after stumbling upon the raffle announcement during a casual meal at a restaurant. His wife, yet to return from work, was set to be the first to hear the thrilling news, with Hodara expressing his initial intention to keep the masterpiece and enjoy it personally.
The Charity Raffle: A Noble Cause
This marks the third iteration of the "1 Picasso for €100" lottery, organized to support Alzheimer's research. The prize, Picasso's 1941 work Head of a Woman, portrays the artist's longtime muse and partner, Dora Maar. Organizers reported that all 120,000 tickets were sold, generating €12 million (£10.4 million), with €1 million allocated to the Opera Gallery, the international art dealership that owned the painting. Gilles Dyan, founder of the gallery, noted that he offered a preferential price for the artwork, which typically has a public valuation of €1.45 million.
Picasso's Legacy and the Raffle's Origins
Olivier Picasso, the artist's grandson, emphasized that the raffle aligns with his grandfather's philanthropic spirit. "My grandfather was very generous, but he was also discreet," he stated, highlighting Picasso's history of aiding family, friends, and those in need during tumultuous times like the Spanish Civil War and World War II. "For me, this project is an absolutely logical and legitimate part of his legacy," Olivier added, expressing hope for annual repetitions of the event.
The raffle was conceived by Péri Cochin, a French television producer and host, who envisioned a global online raffle centered on art. "I thought, wouldn't it be great to do a worldwide raffle, by selling tickets online? I decided it should be a piece of art, and what is the most famous name in art? Obviously, it's Picasso," she explained.
Artistic Significance and Historical Context
Olivier Picasso described Tête de femme as a "very interesting" piece, painted in the same Paris studio as the iconic Guernica in 1937. He noted the painting's darker palette of browns, blacks, and greys, reflecting the complex period of Nazi occupation and Picasso's personal struggles, including his unresolved divorce from his first wife, Olga Khokhlova. "While it's a beautiful depiction of a woman, there is still the ambience of Picasso," he remarked, adding that his grandfather kept the work as a memento of that era.
Previous Raffles and Global Impact
The initiative has a history of success: in 2013, a Pennsylvania fire-sprinkler business employee won Man in the Opera Hat, a cubist piece from 1914, and in 2020, Italian accountant Claudia Borgogno received Still Life as a Christmas gift from her son. Collectively, the two prior raffles raised over €10 million, funding cultural projects in Lebanon and water and hygiene programs in Africa, underscoring the charitable reach of these art-based lotteries.
This latest win not only brings joy to Hodara but also advances critical research into Alzheimer's, blending art appreciation with humanitarian efforts in a truly impactful way.
