Battle against the inhabitants of Veii and Fidenae

Rendered in true fresco, pigments were applied to freshly laid plaster, allowing the colors to become integral to the wall surface. Cesari’s handling shows the transition from Mannerist elongation to the more dynamic, dramatic gestures characteristic of early Baroque painting.

Created during Cesari’s Roman period, the fresco reflects his close ties to papal patrons such as Clement VIII and Sixtus V. The artist later taught several younger painters, among them Caravaggio, before the work entered the Capitoline Museum collection.

The battle depicted references early Roman conflicts with the neighboring Etruscan city of Veii and the Latin town of Fidenae, subjects frequently employed in Renaissance and Baroque art to celebrate Roman martial virtues and civic identity.