He arrived in Venezuela in July 1842, and stayed until September 1845. The expedition began at the port of La Guaira, where he sketched the local inhabitants and the ruins that still remained from the 1812 Caracas earthquake. He toured most of the country, visiting sites suggested by Humboldt, amassing a huge collection of pastel, pen and pencil sketches as well as some oil paintings, depicting urban life and customs in addition to the landscapes. While there, he witnessed the return of Simón Bolívar's remains from Santa Marta in November 1842.