Yardlongs were so-named because they are just that, about a yard long. The long, skinny prints often show beautiful Victorian women, but sometimes flowers and fruit.

My yardlong collection started with my love of roses and my need for prints that would fit into odd spaces. Then I discovered Paul de Longpre, and the fun began. Not all my yardlongs are Paul de Longre as you can see. I had to have one with the swans, of course, and the water lilies in the foreground as I grown hundreds of water lilies in our pond and worship swans. (I guess I must collect water lilies too.) The hollyhocks I remember from my mother's garden so I had to have that one too.

However, no Victorian Yardlong Collection would be complete without a Paul de Longpre' masterpiece!

**Paul de Longpré was born in Lyon, France to Victor and Theresia de Longpré on April 18, 1855. He is thought to have been a self taught artist, though many members of his family were artists, and by age 12 he was in Paris painting flowers on fans.

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