A man from Paris won a $1 million Pablo Picasso painting in a charity raffle, but at first, he believed the winning notification was a hoax.
Ari Hodara, age 58, won a piece of art on Tuesday, April 14th, after buying a €100 ticket (about $117). The winning ticket was drawn at Christie’s in Paris as part of a worldwide fundraiser.
“How do I check that it’s not a hoax?” Hodara said after being contacted by organizers.
Hodara, who works as a sales engineer, unexpectedly won the ticket after seeing the raffle while dining at a restaurant on the weekend. He’s a fan of art, particularly the work of Pablo Picasso.
Picasso raffle raises millions for Alzheimer’s research
Pablo Picasso painted “Head of a Woman” in 1941. The artwork, created with gouache on paper, is a portrait of Dora Maar, who was his partner and inspiration for many years.
The raffle was held to collect money for Alzheimer’s research, and tickets were sold all over the world. Organizers reported that all 120,000 tickets were sold, raising €12 million – about $14 million.
Out of the total amount, €1 million will be paid to Opera Gallery, the company that owns the artwork. According to its founder, Gilles Dyan, the piece was sold for less than its estimated value of €1.45 million.
Hodara stated his immediate priority is telling his wife, and he intends to hold onto the painting for now.
This is the third time a Picasso painting has been given away through the “1 Picasso for 100 euros” raffle. Past winners include a man from Pennsylvania who won “Man in the Opera Hat” in 2013, and Claudia Borgogno of Italy, who received the 1921 painting “Still Life” after her son gifted her a raffle ticket in 2020.
The Alzheimer Research Foundation, a Paris-based charity, has been supporting medical research since 2004. Previous raffles organized by the foundation have generated over €10 million, funding projects like cultural programs in Lebanon and clean water initiatives in Africa.
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2026-04-15 18:18