Few of his works survive, but he appears to have specialised in the '
conversation piece' form, popular with the landed
gentry of mid-18th century England. This form set a group portrait against the backdrop of an idealised representation of the subjects' estates. His works in this form include: • one portrait of Elizabeth Robinson with her parents-in-law, Edward and Elizabeth Montagu, at Sandleford Priory (1744), near Newbury, Berkshire. • six portraits of the Stanley family, including one of Sir Robert and Lady Bradshaigh (1746) in front of
Haigh Hall • two portraits of the
Brockman family on its Kent estate,
Beachborough, both showing the newly constructed Temple Pond. One of the latter may include the figure of Susanna Highmore, daughter of the portrait painter
Joseph Highmore. In addition, he accepted commissions for numerous conventional portraits. Aside from these, his best known works are probably the
oil-on-canvas
roundels of the
Bethlem (1746) and
Chelsea (1746) Hospitals, donated to the
Foundling Hospital, London. Haytley, like other artists who donated works, was elected a governor of the Hospital. His last recorded work, dated 1764, was a portrait, depicting
Sir William Milner, Bt. He is assumed to have died around this date. ==Images==