Paris Art Enthusiast Wins €1 Million Picasso in €100 Charity Raffle
In a stunning intersection of high art and philanthropy, a Paris resident has walked away with a masterpiece by Pablo Picasso for the price of a dinner for two. Ari Hodara, holding ticket #94715, was announced as the winner of the “1 Picasso 100 euros” raffle on April 14, 2026. The draw, hosted at Christie’s France in Paris, awarded the winner a painting valued at 1 million euros.
The Masterpiece: Tête de Femme
The prize for this third edition of the raffle was “Tête de Femme” (Head of a Woman), a gouache on paper work painted by Picasso in 1941. Measuring 38.9 x 25.4 cm (15.3 x 10 in), the piece is a testament to Picasso’s enduring influence on modern art. The artwork was provided through a partnership with Opera Gallery, an international network established by Gilles Dyan in 1994.
Fighting Alzheimer’s Through Art
Beyond the thrill of the win, the raffle served a critical humanitarian purpose. All proceeds from the 100-euro tickets went directly to the Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (FRA), France’s leading organization dedicated to research on Alzheimer’s and related diseases. Recognized by the French government as an organization of public benefit, the FRA has already spent 29 million euros on research and supports 195 researchers worldwide.
The funds raised from this campaign support the IPCAR-2030 (International Collaborative Project for Alzheimer Research). Under this framework, eight separate projects linking French teams with partners in North America and Europe will each be allocated a budget of 1 million euros or more over the next three years.
A Legacy of Generosity
The concept of raffling high-value art aligns with the personal philosophy of Pablo Picasso. Olivier Widmaier Picasso, the artist’s grandson and a co-owner of the Picasso Estate, noted that his grandfather was a generous man who often helped those in need. According to NPR, Widmaier Picasso views the raffle as a continuation of his grandfather’s path of generosity.
This sentiment was echoed by billionaire art collector David Nahmad, who provided a piece for a previous raffle. Nahmad stated that Picasso gave paintings to his driver and tailor because he wanted his art to be collected by a diverse range of people, not just the super-rich, as reported by NBC New York.
A History of Life-Changing Wins
The “1 Picasso 100 euros” campaign has a track record of delivering extraordinary surprises to ordinary people:
- 2013: A fire-sprinkler worker from Pennsylvania won “Man in the Opera Hat,” a 1914 Cubist work.
- 2020: Claudia Borgogno, an accountant in Italy, won the 1921 oil-on-canvas “Nature Morte” after her son bought her a ticket as a Christmas gift.
Key Takeaways: The 2026 Picasso Raffle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Winning Ticket | #94715 (Ari Hodara) |
| Artwork | Tête de Femme (1941) |
| Artwork Value | 1 Million Euros |
| Ticket Price | 100 Euros |
| Beneficiary | Fondation Recherche Alzheimer |
| Draw Location | Christie’s France, Paris |
As the art world celebrates another successful fusion of culture and charity, the Fondation Recherche Alzheimer continues its mission to combat a disease affecting 35 million people globally. While Ari Hodara now owns a piece of art history, the true victory lies in the millions of euros raised to fund life-saving medical research.
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