A WILTSHIRE THATCHER LOT LONG “THE STICKMAN” By Ernest Howard Farmer From Led Zeppelin Four Untitled Record Album Cover High Resolution Fine Art Giclee 24″X18″ Wood & Glass Frame Numbered With Certificate Of Authenticity

MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS: The mysterious Victorian era photo (long thought to be a painting) was taken by Ernest Howard Farmer in 1892 and then hand-colored. Farmer titled the work “a Wiltshire thatcher”. Over the past fifty five years since the album’s release, no one has know anything about the artist or the subject. Since the album’s release in 1971, Zeppelin fans have simply called the image “the stick man”. In 2023, both the artist and the name of the curious Victorian-era fellow were identified. Lot Long (c. 1823–1893) was a 69 year old widower and roof thatcher from Mere, Wiltshire. If you look closely at the photo, you will see a Ichthys symbol embossed into his leather hatband. Lot Long passed away just one year after the famous photo was captured. The framed image was discovered by Robert Plant in an antique shop near guitarist Jimmy Page’s house in Pangbourne, Berkshire. He later decided it would make the ideal subject for the band’s forth album. Sadly, the original iconic framed photo that was used to create the album cover has been lost to time.

CRYPTIC MEANING: The famous picture is framed in a heavily degraded ornate, black, Victorian-style, sloped face, beaded lip picture frame. This oddly captivating picture is hung on a badly decaying wall inside a partially demolished Victorian-era terrace house. A newly constructed high-rise building sits in the background on the gatefold’s flipside. The stark contrast symbolizes a forgotten, traditional past, urban decay and the juxtaposition between the old and new. The band used the painting/photo of “the stick man” to represent a connection to a past, simpler time, which the band felt was being replaced outside of their control.

THE PRINT: This fine art giclee print has been reproduced from the original 1892 enigmatic photograph taken by Ernest Howard Farmer and been painstakingly proofed and enhanced for maximum quality. Mind-blowing detail and color. Each giclee print is created on high-quality, 315gsm weight, 100% cotton archival museum-quality paper. Select the classic “Album Cover Version” or the original “Sepia” version.

THE FRAME: Upgrade your experience by adding one of our Hand-Made Victorian ornate gesso beaded frames. These frames are designed to be similar in style to the frame on the front cover of the iconic album cover.  All frames are constructed of high-quality 1 3/8″ wide classic Victorian style solid-wood frame; finished in black satin with classic sloped face and beaded lip. Comes with premium clear UV protectant glass. These frames are handmade and have imperfections including imperfect miters which is common with older picture frames (see picture for examples).