ARTE Documentary Investigates Giuliano Ruffini Forgery Scandal

A three-part documentary series titled "Le Peintre, la Pizza et le Corbeau" (The Painter, the Pizza and the Crow) premieres on ARTE on May 11, 2026, dissecting the sprawling art forgery case centered on dealer Giuliano Ruffini. The investigation began in spring 2014 after an anonymous letter accused Ruffini of trafficking fake Old Master paintings. Judge Aude Burési and the French Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Cultural Goods (OCBC) led the inquiry. In March 2016, a Venus attributed to Lucas Cranach, owned by the Prince of Liechtenstein and valued at millions of euros, was seized at the Hôtel de Caumont in Aix-en-Provence during an exhibition. Scientific analysis revealed the panel dated from the 19th century, not the German Renaissance. The series also examines a David and Goliath by Artemisia Gentileschi painted on lapis lazuli and a portrait attributed to Frans Hals. Ruffini, a former painter turned collector, presents himself as a victim of unscrupulous intermediaries. The documentary features experts, dealers, intermediaries, and scientists, highlighting the fragile nature of art authentication where laboratory results and expert intuition can conflict.