Nothing is known about Giuseppe Cesari's training. What is certain is that he was in Rome from about 1582 and was employed in the workshop of the painter Niccolò Circignani. Soon after, he worked on frescoes in the Vatican Palace. From 1583, he received a regular salary and was a member of the Accademia di San Luca. In 1584 and 1585, he painted frescoes in the cloister of the church Trinità dei Monti and in the Quirinal Palace. These prestigious commissions made Cesari one of the most sought-after painters in Rome. After further commissions in Rome and Naples, he became a protégé of Pope Clement VIII from 1592. In addition to numerous commissions for frescoes in Roman churches, he increasingly carried out commissions for important clients from abroad, e.g. Emperor Rudolf II, King Louis XIII of France and King Philip IV of Spain. He painted panel pictures with religious and mythological scenes not only on canvas and wood, but also on copper and slate panels. To cope with the many commissions, Cesari had many assistants in his large workshop, including the young Caravaggio. Nowadays, his paintings are exposed in museums all over the world. In 1600, Pope Clement VIII knighted him with the Order of Christ, hence Cesari's title Cavalier d'Arpino (Knight of Arpino). In 1630, Louis XIII of France further awarded him the Order of Saint Micheal. Cesari had a great influence on many Roman artists such as Guido Reni and Domenichino. However, the progressive style of painters such as Caravaggio and the Carraccis replaced Cesari's classical style shortly after his death.