RAOUL DE LONGPRÉ (1843-1911)
36. Purple Iris and Lilacs
Gouache on Paper
Signed lower right
20 x 28 inches
29 x 37 framed
Provenance:
Private Collection, California
French floral painter Raoul Maucherat de Longpré was born in Lyon, France, in 1843. The de Longprés were a family of artists, specifically known as fleuristes, famous for their paintings of flowers. Raoul and his older brother Paul began their art studies as young children. They both became successful and talented artists with distinctly different styles. Paul de Longpré moved to New York City in 1890, while Raoul remained in France for most of his career.
Works similar to Raoul de Longprés gouache painting, Purple Iris and Lilacs were in the Paris Salons of 1877 and 1880. Lilacs were Raoul de Longpré’s most common subject matter. He was well versed in the symbolism of flowers, knowing that white lilacs indicate youthful innocence. Purple Iris and Lilacs is in de Longpré’s signature style, with newly cut flowers strewn across a floor or tabletop surface. He tended to use a dark background, emphasizing the flower blooms. Raoul de Longpré’s work is in many important collections, including the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
Works held:
The Fleischer
Collection, Arizona; The Irvine Museum; Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum,
Rochester, New York; Brockton Art Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts; Hunt
Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; National Museum
of American Art; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
The Redfern Gallery
1540 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 T: (949) 497-3356 F: (949) 497-1324 mail@redferngallery.com
at the Montage Resort and Spa
30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 T: (949) 715-6193