Fondation Kantha Bopha, a children's hospital project in Cambodia, refused to accept money from the sale of a nude photo of France's first lady,
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. The proceeds will now go to Sodis, which provides drinking water in poor countries, reports Bloomberg. Beat Richner, the founder of Kantha Bopha, said taking money from the sale of an image of this type would "trivialize the institution of Kantha Bopha, and some regular donors may begin to wonder."
Art collector Gert Elfering is offering the picture at Christie's in New York on April 10, and decided to give the proceeds to charity after the sale garnered publicity. The original estimate for the photograph was $3,000 to $4,000, but it may now realize much more. The 1993 gelatin silver print was taken by photographer Michel Comte in 1993 and was consigned to Christie's before the singer and former model was engaged to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.