It was through Du Quesnoy that Quellinus encountered a particularly pure emulation of the ancient classical style, to which he remained faithful upon his return to the Netherlands. The sculptures he produced through this classical approach were true to life and full of warmth, expressiveness and lively detail. Work of this kind made Quellinus an obvious candidate for making the sculptural decorations for Amsterdam’s new city hall (now royal palace) on Dam Square. Quellinus worked on this project with a large team of assistants for 15 years. Talented new sculptors also trained here, ensuring that Quellinus’s style remained in vogue in the Dutch Republic long after his departure from Amsterdam in 1665.
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