Pieter Boel revolutionized animal painting. Whereas artists had contented themselves before with making static studies from stuffed animals, Boel drew and painted his animals from life in the menagerie at Versailles. He thus represented animals in their natural poses and devoid of any emblematic or similar preconceived notion of the animals. His way of portraying animals has been described as sympathetic with the animals. This was not in line with the prevailing view of animals as simple machines or beasts. His naturalism influenced a long line of great animal artists, from the painter Jean-Baptiste Oudry to the sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye. Boel was particularly adapt at rendering various textures, especially feathers.