He was born in Meta di Sorrento. He served as an officer in the Italian Navy, but by age thirty, influenced by members of the School of Resina, he turned to painting, first in Naples. He gained fame in London, where his depictions of famous British naval victories and ships were highly prized, including by Queen Victoria. He painted depictions of the naval battles of Trafalgar, of the Nile, and of Cape San Vincenzo.