 He then began a series of pictures depicting Italian life including "Poor Travellers at the door of a Capuchin Convent near Vico, Bay of Naples"  and "A Scene near Subiaco", which were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1839.These were followed in 1840–1841 by two subjects taken from the New Testament - "Our Saviour with the Doctors in the Temple", and "The Two Disciples at Emmaus".From 1840 to 1842 Collins was librarian to the Royal Academy and in 1843 he moved to a large house at 1 Devonport Street, Hyde Park Gardens.