Raoul de Longpre debuted at the Paris Salon of 1877. He exhibited a gouache of "Lilacs" and one of "Lilacs and Chrysanthemums", and at the 1880 Salon, he exhibited "Peonies and Lilacs". In 1890, Paul de Longpré left for the United States, and Raoul remained in Paris, where he married Eugenie Rongieres in 1901.

Raoul, like his brother based his florals on scientific studies that he made of flowers while living in Paris, as witnessed by his attention to a high degree of accuracy. His favorite flower was the lilac, which he often combined with roses or other blooms to formulate a still life. Aware of the flower language in literature, Raoul’s use of white lilacs symbolized "youthful innocence", and when combined with roses, they represented "purity," "love" or "beauty." Depending on the color of the rose, a bouquet of red roses and white lilacs symbolized "youthfulness and first love."

Raoul's paintings generally revealed three compositional types: newly cut flowers on a floor or other surface, which have been strewn at random; flowers, often roses and lilacs, arranged on a stone ledge or plinth; and bouquets which appear to float in the air. Different than the works of his brother Paul, Raoul’s floral still lifes focused entirely on the blooms themselves.

Although there is no record of Raoul de Longpré traveling to the United States, according to an article in the Rocky Mountain News, July 27, 1883 a painting, "Roses and Lilacs" by Raoul M. de Longpré, Paris, was on exhibition in Denver, Colorado. It is very possible that Paul de Longpré worked as Raoul's agent in the United States.

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