He was particularly known for his representations of groups of animals, which he typically placed in the foreground of his compositions and therefore appear as his main centre of interest. Particular features of his style were his depiction of groups of animals as ‘still-lifes’ in open, Italianate landscapes containing some ancient monuments to convey the ‘Roman’ atmosphere and the use of lively colouring in the figures’ costumes so as to contrast with the more sombre greys and browns of the herds and ruins.