Known for works like The Last Sigh of the Moor and Italian Boys Playing the National Game of Mora, Hurlstone drew inspiration from travels to Italy, Spain, and Morocco, shifting to a "picaresco" style influenced by Murillo and Velázquez.

Despite his opposition to the Royal Academy's management, he remained a prolific and influential figure, contributing over 300 works to exhibitions and earning international recognition, including a gold medal at the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

He contributed to the society's exhibitions upwards of three hundred portraits and other works, among them being The Enchantress Armida, exhibited in 1831; Haidee aroused from her Trance by the sound of Music, 1834; Eros, 1836; Italian Boys playing at the National Game of Mora and the Prisoner of Chillon, 1837; The Scene in St. Peter's, Rome, from Byron's Deformed Transformed, 1839; The Convent of St. Isidore: the Monks giving away provisions, 1841; and a Scene in a Spanish Posada in Andalusia, 1843.

His subsequent works at the Society of British Artists included The Sons of Jacob bringing the blood-stained garment of Joseph to their Father, 1844; Salute, Signore, 1845; A Girl of Sorrento at a Well, 1847; Inhabitants of the Palace of the Cæsars—Rome in the Nineteenth Century, 1850; Columbus asking Alms at the Convent of La Rabida, 1853; The Last Sigh of the Moor (or Boabdil el Chico, mourning over the Fall of Granada, reproached by his Mother), 1854; and Margaret of Anjou and Edward, Prince of Wales, in the wood on their flight after the Battle of Hexham, 1860.

In his groups of Italian boys and girls, Mr. Hurlstone has given representations of an uncluttered life; often of that beauty which is united with wilderness, and this without the vulgarity with which such subjects are too often treated.

In 1841, and again in 1852, he somewhat varied his subjects, by drawing his resources from Spain, which country he visited those years; but his style of treatment remained essentially the same.

In the year 1854 the painter visited Morocco, and while in that semi-bararous locality, he painted several pictures, of which the principle on was a subject from the History of the Moors in Spain, entitled, Bobadil el Chico (the last king) Mourning over the Fall of Grenada, reproached by his Mother, which, together with his Italian Boys Playing the National Game of Mora, and his Constance and Arthur formed Mr. Hurlstone's contributions to the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1855, when he received from the Emperor a gold medal of honour.