Prix Goncourt novel revives decades-old Paris murder case
France's top literary prize goes to a novel about Louise Cansot, an artists' model whose 1949 death was abandoned by police.
At a glance
- Louise Cansot, an artists' model, was found dead near the Seine in Paris in September 1949
- Police abandoned the investigation after four months without identifying the killer
- A novel about Cansot's life has won the Prix Goncourt, France's top literary prize
- Researcher Luc Corlouër and author Philippe Jaenada worked together on projects about the case
A novel about Louise Cansot, an artists' model known as "the girl of 100 portraits", has won the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award. Cansot's body was discovered near the Seine in September 1949, but police closed their investigation after four months with little effort to identify her killer.
The case had remained largely forgotten for nearly eight decades. Researcher Luc Corlouër and Prix Goncourt-winning author Philippe Jaenada collaborated on separate works exploring Cansot's life and death, bringing renewed attention to the unsolved murder.
Why it matters
The case highlights how certain victims were historically deprioritised by authorities, and demonstrates how literary works can revive public interest in forgotten historical crimes.
Original reporting
- The Guardian — WorldHow the story of ‘the girl of 100 portraits’ inspired two books
- The Guardian — CultureHow the story of ‘the girl of 100 portraits’ inspired two books
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
