He became a member of the local Guild of Saint Luke in 1758. He married in 1761 and was elected to the Stadstekenacademie, Amsterdam, in 1766 and received an honorary prize from the Drawing Academy. He maintained his home and studio on Kerkstraat [nl], near the Amstel. Politically, he was a supporter of the Patriottentijd; a group that admired the ancient Roman Republic
In 1772, he created a chimney piece (Schoorsteenstuk [nl]) for the Town Hall, as well as works for the original Dutch Theater (1774), the buildings at 518 and 520 Herengracht and in the Corvershof, a home belonging to the son of Mayor Joan Corver [nl] (1778). In 1781, and again in 1792, he provided the sets and scenery for productions of The Barber of Seville, by Beaumarchais. Much of his work represents a transition to Neoclassicism.
The wallpaper designer, Jurriaen Andriessen, is one of his best known students. The poet, Willem Bilderdijk, learned some etching and drawing techniques from him.
