If you’ve ever thought about becoming an art collector, you could score the bargain of a lifetime in March as a million Euro (£800,000) Picasso is being raffled off for the ticket price of 100 Euros (£83).
As part of a charity partnership between Christie’s and clean water nonprofit CARE, a raffle called 1 Picasso for 100 Euros is being held with the winners announced this spring.
The piece is a still life titled Nature Morte which currently sits in the Picasso Museum and is part of Monegasque art dealer David Nahmad’s prized collection. The winning lottery ticket will be drawn on March 30 in Christie’s Paris.
Julian Pradels, the Managing Director of Christie’s France, said, “We are very pleased to support this great charity operation which will benefit the CARE association which is doing remarkable work around the world.”
"I would also like to salute the involvement of 'Aidez les Autres', which has come up with this excellent lottery idea that will enable the lucky winner to acquire an exceptional work of art for €100,” he continued.
Raffle tickets can be purchased on the project’s website 1 Picasso 100 Euros. This is the second time that the raffle has taken place, with a 25 year old American man winning Picasso’s £610,000 L’Homme au Gibus in 2013 with a 100 Euro ticket.
He said to the BBC, “I was looking for art and I thought I might as well.”
Picasso’s grandson, Olivier Picasso, also spoke to the BBC about the project and said, “My grandfather was a pioneer in everything, in his love life, in his artwork, so tonight I'm sure he would have helped the cause.”
Proceeds from this year’s edition will go towards providing clean water to 200,000 people in Cameroon, Morocco and Madagascar through CARE.
The charity focuses on a number of initiatives, ranging from disaster relief to economic development, and their aim to provide ‘basic clean water and a decent toilet’ to challenged communities is just one aspect of their global mission.
To learn more about CARE or make a donation, you can head to their official website here.
