Art and Crime: Forgeries, Theft and Fraud

Online course

+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Tickets available from 10.00 on Wednesday, 4 February 2026
Explore the fascinating relationship between art and crime, from antiquity to the present day.  Expert lecturers will consider themes including forgery, the pillaging of cities, museum heists, artist convicts and Nazi looting. Take a look at the course programme for the full schedule, or book now to start your journey of discovery.

Learn from our world-class experts wherever you are, whenever suits you: watch lectures live or view the recording later in your own time. You can experience the full breadth and depth of the V&A's collections with 20 hours of study over 10 weeks. Learn at your own pace: lecture recordings and study materials, lecture notes, copies of the presentations, and additional study materials are available in our secure Microsoft Teams environment for 10 weeks after the course ends, so you'll never miss a thing. And finally, join the conversation: share your perspective with your fellow students, and support each other in your further enquiries outside of class time.

For more details, see V&A Academy online questions · V&A

This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.
course photo
Portrait of V&A Academy Course Director Dr Kathy McLauchlan

V&A Academy Course Director
Dr Kathy McLauchlan

Dr Kathy McLauchlan, art historian specialising in French painting and lecturer with the Arts Society, Morley College and Oxford University.

Totally fantastic course - really well-structured and -presented and excellent subject matter and presenters. Previous V&A Academy Online Course Attendee

Course overview

Explore the fascinating relationship between art and crime from Antiquity to the present day.  Expert lecturers will consider themes including forgery, artist convicts and Nazi looting. 

Discover how the looting of art from major cities, such as Rome and Constantinople, impacted the development of the arts across Europe. We will also consider: how artists from Salvator Rosa to Sidney Nolan have celebrated the world of thieves and outcasts, the rise of the celebrity forger, the darker side of 19th-century archaeology, the systematic state-led pillaging of art collections, thefts from museums, the role of criminality in the modern art market, and the investigation of stolen art.
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Membership Priority Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on 4 February 2026. General Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on Thursday 12 February 2026.


Our courses are built using the latest Microsoft software. Tune in to expert lectures live or catch up on demand. Join discussions and continue your learning with downloadable handouts and presentations. Find out more >> 

Enrol now

Online course: Art and Crime: Forgeries, Theft and Fraud

23 April 2026 - 25 June 2026

£250.00

Tickets not available yet

Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:

+44 (0)20 7942 2000

Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)

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