Paul de Longpré Having A Revival

 

Since June is the month celebrating the rose, let’s revisit the work of Paul de Longpré.

The French artist (1855-1911) painted floral scenes in watercolors in the 1900s. He found inspiration in the 4,000 rose bushes he planted on his Hollywood estate. Devoting his career exclusively to botanical subjects, he earned widespread recognition for his ability to render horticultural accuracy with artistic sensitivity. His works were widely reproduced for botanical magazines, seed catalogs, and national art publications, earning him the title, “King of Flowers.”

Since his childhood, the garden was his teacher. When de Longpre (1855-1911)  came to Hollywood following financial troubles in France, he found patrons who embraced his love of flower paintings and he became a huge star.

In fact, in present-day Hollywood, De Longpre Avenue and De Longpre Park are both named for him.

Despite all the accolades, his most impactful came early in his youth.

“When I was a little child having my first experience at school, I would make drawings of flowers that my fellow students would buy with their pocket money in place of toffee.,” he recalled. “Complimentary, was it not? It never excelled any other tribute I have since received: that group of kids bidding their precious spending money against each other for my sketches of objects.”

Today, a rare collection of Paul de Longpré’s works is being represented by Arcadia Art Consultancy. Assembled over decades by a dedicated private collector, it stands as the most comprehensive grouping to come to market in a generation. Best known for his luminous renderings of roses, de Longpré’s broader botanical range is on full display here, from lilacs and poppies to peonies, each painted with extraordinary precision and sensitivity. And of course – lots of roses!

“This is a rare opportunity to reintroduce Paul de Longpré’s work to a new generation of collectors,” says art curator and client development manager  Lara Bayer. “His historical importance as one of the earliest cultural figures to shape the identity of Hollywood, before the film industry had even fully arrived, makes this collection particularly compelling. His estate and gardens were among the first major tourist attractions in Los Angeles, and postcards of his home were widely distributed during the golden age of American tourism.”

The collection presents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire technically exquisite botanical works that not only reflect de Longpré’s artistic mastery, but also serve as a tangible link to the cultural mythology of Old Hollywood.

In the United States, de Longpré found early success. He excelled as a commercial illustrator and window decorator while also creating plein-air paintings in the New Jersey countryside. He exhibited his first painting, Basket of Purple Lilacs, at the National Academy of Design in 1892, followed by two successful solo exhibitions at the American Art Galleries in 1895 and 1896. His work was widely published, and his reputation as a master watercolor painter grew.

Seeking a climate that would allow him to paint flowers year-round, de Longpré relocated his family to Los Angeles in 1899. In 1901, he purchased three acres of land from Daeida and H.H. Wilcox, the founders of Hollywood. He built a Moorish-style mansion on the property, designed by Canadian architect Louis J.B. Bourgeois.

The mansion and its extensive gardens, containing approximately 4,000 rose bushes, became one of the earliest tourist attractions in Los Angeles.

Thousands of visitors toured the property, drawn by both de Longpré’s artwork and the meticulously landscaped grounds. The estate was so popular that the family had to limit public access, eventually restricting garden tours to the months of January through April. Postcards of the house and gardens became widely distributed, further cementing the artist’s fame.

Throughout his career, de Longpré continued to exhibit his work in major American cities. He also played a notable role in Hollywood’s early social scene, hosting grand events. Thanks to numerous postcards made in the golden age of postcards from 1907–1920, Paul de Longpré’s presence and life in Hollywood were widely documented.

De Longpré’s work remains in esteemed collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Irvine Museum, and the Currier Museum of Art. His paintings continue to be recognized for their technical precision and luminous quality, reflecting his lifelong dedication to floral subjects.