Valenciennes’ landscapes are neoclassical in nature, hearkening back to the analytical and geometric approach of Nicolas Poussin. This is an example of the heroic, or historic, landscape, which features grand architecture (in this case, Roman) and figures dressed in antique costumes. The space recedes in gradual planes from foreground to background, and natural motifs such as tree trunks and boulders are treated with geometric precision.

from Snay, The Epic and the Intimate: French Drawings from the John D. Reilly Collection (Notre Dame, 2011)