Murder and Mystery with a Soupçon of Art History: L’Art du Crime

She is a brilliant art historian and appraiser, who talks to dead artists. He is a hard-boiled cop with a hair-trigger temper that lands him in the OCBC (Office Central de Lutte Contre le Trafic des Biens Culturels – The Central Office for the Fight Against Illegal Trafficking of Cultural Property) as punishment for his insubordination on the general crime squad of the Parisian police force. Unfortunately, he can’t tell a Monet from a Matisse, an enormous deficit for those who investigate art thefts and forgeries.  

The head of the OCBC, Commandant Alexandre Pardo, brings in the Louvre’s Madame Florence Chassagne, PhD, to help the crusty, self-assured detective Captain Antoine Verlay solve a murder attached to an alleged heist of a long-lost Leonardo da Vinci painting. Fireworks ensue, spicing up this madcap mélange of comedy, mystery, suspense, intrigue, romance, and art history. In France, you can binge L’Art du Crime’s eight seasons on France 2. In the US and Canada, you can binge The Art of Crime’s seven seasons through the streaming service MHz Choice. Everyone can watch the first full season of The Art of Crime’s first three cases for free on Plex. 

Created by Angèle Herry-Leclerc (daughter of the famous French actors Miou-Miou and Patrick Dewaere) and Pierre-Yves Mora, L’Art du Crime satisfies our craving for an authentic Parisian television series free of Franco-American stereotypes and over-the-top couture. Enchanting actress Éléonore Bernheim’s gift for zany physical comedy and telling facial expressions endears us to Madame Chassagne’s numerous foibles and weird bétises. She’s a beautiful art geek with that natural Parisian flair for colorful, uncomplicated fashion. Belgian actor Nicolas Gob roughs up Captain Verlay’s image at first and then lets an unexpected vulnerability leak through the mask. These fine actors belong to an admirable cast whose talents lift this series to a caliber rarely seen on television today. 

Madame Chassagne’s extensive knowledge provides fascinating narratives that unnerve Captain Verlay’s impatient ear, unleashing a barrage of questions that demand simplification for his anti-intellectual mind. This device works well for the audience, who may know very little about the art and artists showcased in each episode. If you feel overwhelmed by the numerous works of art flashed before your eyes, please seek out the Wikipedia entries after you watch the whole case so that you don’t spoil the thrill of discovering “who-done-it” at the very end of the case. 

Another reason to watch L’Art du Crime is the opportunity to visit great museums in Paris and the outer regions. These scenes bring us into the sumptuous interiors of the Louvre, Orsay, Château d’Amboise, Fontainebleau, Versailles, and the Musée Jacquemart-André, among others. Scenes in the streets of Paris also ring true, reminding us of the sights and sounds we truly know in the City of Light. We also visit private spaces, hidden from public view. I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the art conservation labs, because I don’t have access to the latest technology. I can assure you that much can be learned about the tricks of the forgers’ trade, such as blow-drying craquelure and “antiquing” documents. Moreover, Madame Chassagne and her colleagues’ observations enhance our French language vocabulary, whether you watch with subtitles in English or in French (which I recommend highly).

“Welcome to the world of art,” Commissard Pardo announces to Captain Verlay. This is an invitation for him and for us, the viewer, to prepare for a bumpy (if not outright shocking) ride among extraordinary splendor. 

Like all police dramas, wild chases, shootouts, and nail-biting rescues challenge the intrepid OCBC ensemble. Madame Chassagne and Captain Verlay perform Herculean tasks to save each other from the clutches of evil miscreants in almost every episode. Watching their friendship grow leads to cliffhangers that bridge one season to the next.  Oftentimes, their relationship mirrors the artworks’ imagery. So – pay attention! 

I highly recommend L’Art du Crime because the scripts are well written, the acting is superb, and the familiarity with art historians and art detectives operating in the field shines through. We art historians may not “see” dead artists, but we often imagine their lives and eccentricities by obsessing over details in autobiographies, monographs, letters, interviews, written statements, documents, and the artworks themselves. Madame Chassagne’s passion for her chosen profession, her love of the hunt, her elation upon discovery, and her electrifying epiphanies speak to all of us who share the joy of studying art. Captain Verlay may find it ridiculous, but conversations among art historians really sound this intense and gossipy.  

I will not divulge more for fear of ruining the pleasure of following the series’ entertaining twists and turns. Here is a list of the main characters and actors: 

Madame Florence Chassagne (Éléonora Bernheim) is an art historian and appraiser, employed at the Musée du Louvre, who helps Captain Verlay investigate art crimes, including murders.

Captain Antoine Verlay (Nicolas Gob) is a cracker-jack detective with a big ego and a short fuse. He has been assigned to the OSBC because of offending a superior in his previous job. He is divorced with two children. 

Commandant Alexandre Pardo (Benjamin Egner) is a veteran art detective whose prowess comes from his previous experience in the art world.  

Lieutenante Adèle Attias (Salomé Partouche) is a tough investigator who has a heart of gold. Hugo Prieur (Emmanuel Noblet) is an art conservator and Madame Chassagne’s “ex.” 

Pierre Chassagne (Philippe Duclos) is Florence Chassagne’s father, a well-regarded art historian and appraiser. Juliette Mariton (Dounia Coesens) is another detective in the OCBC. 

Madame Chassagne’s therapists are one (Farida Rahouadj) Seasons 1 -3 and another (Nicolas Wanczycki) for seasons 4 – 8.

To help you understand the art history that enriches each episode, here are several relevant articles published in Bonjour Paris that illuminate L’Art du Crime’s plots and explanations: 

Théodore Géricault by Hazel Smith 

Gustave Courbet by Hazel Smith 

Paris Green by Hazel Smith 

Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin by Marilyn Brouwer 

Edgar Degas and ballet dancers by Marilyn Brouwer 

Edgar Degas and the Opera by Beth Gersh-Nesic 

Vincent van Gogh’s last painting by Beth Gersh-Nesic 

Édouard Manet and his Olympia by Beth Gersh-Nesic 

Élisabeth Vigée-LeBrun by Marian Jones

The first three seasons feature three two-part murder investigations, 50 minutes per episode. Season 3 through the present (Season 10 is in the works) feature only two two-part cases per season, 90 minutes each.  

Merci infiniment to the esteemed literary translator Sandra Smith for recommending to me this delightful distraction. Last year I signed up for streaming on MHz Choice during their annual Memorial Day Sale, which this year ends June 1, 2025. My local library system owns the whole DVD set from Season 1 through 7. You can also purchase the series online. 

For more information in French and English, check out L’Art du Crime or The Art of Crime on Facebook where you will find news about the forthcoming Season 9: interviews, videos, etc,  

Here is the official website in French: https://www.france.tv/france-2/l-art-du-crime/ 

 L’Art du Crime is a delicious binge for the lazy days of summer. 

Bon appétit!