Translated with AI
A Parisian man has won an original painting by Pablo Picasso worth over €1 million in a charity lottery, the BBC reports.
The winner was 58-year-old engineer and art connoisseur Ari Hodara. He learned of his victory on Tuesday via video call from Christie's auction house in Paris.
According to the man, he couldn't believe it at first. "How do I know it's not a prank?" he asked when he was told he'd won. Khodara later admitted he was surprised, but very happy, as he enjoys painting.
We are talking about the work "Head of a Woman" (Tête de femme), created by Picasso in 1941. The painting is made with gouache on paper and depicts the French surrealist artist Dora Maar, who was the master's muse.
The lottery was held as part of the "One Picasso for €100" charity project, founded in 2013. More than 120,000 tickets were sold at €100, raising approximately €11 million for Alzheimer's research.
Khodara said he purchased ticket number 94715 over the weekend after learning about the competition by chance.
The lottery was organized by French journalist Péri Cochin, with the support of the Picasso family and foundation. She noted that the Parisian resident's victory would simplify the donation of the artwork, as tickets were distributed in dozens of countries.
